A tale of Four Clans
by 3rdbase101
Summary: Using the cats that you made with my 'Make a Warrior' I made a story. WaterClan, SwiftClan, FlameClan, and MoonClan are all living peacefully in their territories. A dark force waits patiently, though. Will it get its chance to rule?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm so sorry this is late! I wanted to get it out earlier, but unfortunately, my computer had other plans. And, as many of you thought, the Clans are not descendants of the _present_ Clans, but of the _past_ Clans (a.k.a Thunder, Shadow, River, Wind, and Sky). I hope it turns out good, because I have a lot of ideas. And if I kill off your character/family of your character, don't blame me, it's what makes a story good. Ok, I think I'm done here.**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Warriors, or any of the cats featured in this story. **

**Allegiances**

**FlameClan- **

**Leader- **Birchstar- Light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and dark green eyes

**Apprentice: Lightningpaw**

**Deputy**- Shadowmist – Pure black she-cat with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat-** Rushfoot – Long haired brown she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice: Lilypaw**

**Warriors-** Bristleclaw – Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes.

**Apprentice: Fawnpaw**

Clumsyfoot – Long haired light brown she-cat with green eyes

Jumpfoot – Brown tabby tom with light green eyes

**Apprentice: Jewelpaw**

Brindlefoot – Tortoiseshell tom with red ears and blue eyes

Icetail – Light gray tom with white tail and blue eyes

**Apprentice: Darkpaw**

Flowerstripe – Pale orange she-cat with darker stripes and icy blue eyes

**Apprentice: Hawk paw**

Lion jump – Reddish golden tom with green eyes

Dark claw – Dark gray almost black tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Tangle paw**

Mousepelt – Dusky brown she-cat with blue eyes

Dewtail – Blue gray tom with green eyes

**Apprentice: Bramblepaw**

Riverheart – Light gray she-cat with dark gray paws and amber eyes

**Apprentice: Sootpaw**

Cherrystripe – Light ginger she-cat with darker stripes on sides and green eyes

Hollowclaw – Dark gray tom with blue eyes

Stripefur – White tom with black and brown stripes running around body and brown eyes

Orangetail – Tortoiseshell she-cat with dark ginger tail and green eyes

**Apprentices-** Hawkpaw – Golden red tom with ginger stripes on sides and green eyes

Lightningpaw – Ginger tom with stripes that look like lightning on sides and blue eyes

Jewelpaw – Brown she-cat with amber eyes

Darkpaw – Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes

Fawnpaw – Light brown she-cat with white paws, chest, tail tip and green blue eyes

Sootpaw – Light gray tabby tom with darker spots and yellow eyes

Lilypaw – Black she-cat with white tail tip and green eyes

Tanglepaw – Dark brown tabby tom with black stripes and green eyes

Bramblepaw – Black she-cat with white tail tip and icy blue eyes

**Queens-** Leafsky – Brown tabby she-cat with golden eyes. Mate – Dewtail. Kits – Redkit (Light ginger she-cat with amber eyes) Brownkit (Brown tom with blue eyes) Stripedkit (Tortoiseshell tom with golden eyes)

Featherheart – Light gray she-cat with blue eyes. Mate – Icetail. Kits – Darkkit (Dark gray tom with green eyes) Firekit (Dark ginger tom with blue eyes)

Swifthunt – Silver she-cat with amber eyes. Pregnant with Stripefur's kits.

**Elders-** Grassblade – Brown tom with golden eyes. Retired early as punishment for breaking the Warrior Code.

Heatstrike – Dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes.

**MoonClan-**

Leader – Ashstar – Dark gray she-cat with black spots and shining green eyes Deputy – Shadebrook – (look at Queens for description) Apprentice: Pinepaw Medicine Cat – Birdflight – Light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Warriors –** Yelloweye – Dark brown Tom with one yellow eye and one blue eye

Shadestalker – Black tom with amber eyes

Flamestorm – Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes

Apprentice: Yellowpaw

Dawnshadow – Black she-cat with violet eyes

Apprentice: Windpaw

Stormheart – Dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Dovewing – Cream she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Daypaw

Brambleslash – Dark tabby tom with honey eyes

Shimmerstrike – Silver she-cat with gray tail whose fur shines in moon and blue eyes

Apprentice: Bloodpaw

Eclipsedmoon – Black tom with half white half black face and amber eyes

Waspfur – Black tom with white stripes around body and bright green eyes

Apprentice: Mudpaw

Shinefall – Black tom with white feet and light gray eyes

Gingertail – Tortoiseshell she-cat with light ginger tail and yellow eyes

Apprentice: Flowerpaw

Snaketail – Gray tom black front left paw and belly and blue eyes

**Apprentices – **Pinepaw **–** Dark brown tom with yellow eyes

Yellowpaw – Pure white she-cat with yellow eyes

Bloodpaw – Dark ginger tabby tom with light green eyes

Daypaw – Pure white she-cat with amber eyes

Windpaw – Light gray tabby tom with bright blue eyes

Mudpaw – Dark brown tom with gray paws and yellow eyes

Flowerpaw – Pure black she-cat with indigo eyes

**Queens –** Shadowpelt – Pure black she-cat with blue green eyes. Pregnant with Yelloweye's kits

Shadebrook – Black she-cat with white star on forehead and blue eyes. Mate – Waspfur. Kits – Clawkit (Black tom with white spots on back and light blue eyes) Darkkit (Pure Black tom with light green eyes)

Graypool – Light gray with dark stripe from head to tail and blue eyes. Mate – Shinefall. Kits – Littlekit (Light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes) Talonkit (Dark gray tom with blue eyes)

**Elders –** **Onetail** – Dark brown tom with light green eyes

**SwiftClan- **

**Leader – **Wolfstar – Huge white she-cat with pale gray stripes and multicolored eyes

**Deputy – **Tiger flash – Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice: Ash paw Medicine Cat – Star heart – Dark gray almost black she-cat with white star on forehead and blue eyes Warriors – Flower stem – White she-cat with flowerlike patches and blue eyes

Jay gaze – Blue gray tom with silver tail tip and bright blue eyes

Apprentice: Prickle paw

White frost – Snowy white tom with black patch on left shoulder and ear

Adder tail – Dark gray tom with green eyes

Lily whisker – Light tabby silver she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Feather paw

Ice whisker – Light silver she-cat with dark dapples on back and green eyes

Boulder pelt – Dark gray tabby tom with pelt with light green eyes

Apprentice: Horse paw

Wet pelt – Dark ginger tom with black feet and yellow eyes

White heart – Pure white she-cat with dark green eyes

Sheep foot – Light gray she-cat with white feet and gray eyes

Thorn grove – Ginger tom with amber eyes and claws like needles

Apprentice: Runningpaw

Blackfur – Pure black tom with yellow eyes

Dovewhisper – Black and white tortoiseshell with dove markings on sides green eyes

Apprentice: Graypaw

Goldenheart – Golden she-cat with green eyes

Lightningstrike – Black and white tom with green eyes

Angelwing – Pure white she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices –** Featherpaw – Light silver she-cat with blue eyes

Pricklepaw – Dark ginger tom whose fur sticks up all over his body and yellow eyes

Horsepaw – Dark brown tabby tom with white paws and yellow eyes

Ashpaw – Light gray tom with darker tail tip, feet, and ears with amber eyes

Runningpaw – Reddish brown tom with green eyes

Graypaw – Golden tom with a light gray tail and blue eyes

**Queens** – Swiftwind – Light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Mate – Blackfur. Kits – Loudkit (Pure white tom with green eyes) Brightkit (White she-cat with light brown stripes on sides and green eyes) Barkkit (Light brown tom with white tail tip and blue eyes)

Featherdapple – Light silver, almost white she-cat with darker stripes running from forehead to tail and white paws with light blue eyes. Mate – Whitefrost. Kits – Rabbitkit (Light silver, almost white tom with gray stripes on back and blue eyes) Poppykit (gray she-cat with black spots and yellow eyes) Icekit (White she-cat with gray and black tail tip and blue eyes)

Amberflower – Pale red she-cat with tortoiseshell markings and blue eyes. Mate – Tigerflash. Kits – Cinderkit (Pale gray tabby she-cat with white spots that look like clouds and blue eyes) Seedkit (Pale ginger she-cat with small black flecks and dark blue eyes)

Ivygaze – White she-cat with squiggly orange lines on back and legs and dark green eyes with light green flecks. Mate – Jaygaze. Kits – Firekit (Orange tom with silver ear and bright blue eyes with green flecks) Patchkit (White she-cat with blue gray patches and purple indigo eyes)

Mistwhisker – Blue gray she-cat with blue eyes. Pregnant with Boulderpelt's kits.

Finchkit – Light gray she-cat with brown spots and amber eyes. (Brother – Branchkit. Mother (Brownheart) and father (Thundertail) in StarClan)

Branchkit – Light gray tabby tom with light brown tail and amber eyes

**Elders – **Viperbelly – White tom with black belly and ears and green eyes

Lightstep – Cream tabby she-cat with white feet and amber eyes

**WaterClan-**

**Leader – **Sparrowstar – Chocolate tabby tom with tan legs. Darker stripes on tail and legs, with a lighter chin and softer lines on face. Sand yellow eyes borderline on green and hazel

Apprentice: Wildpaw

**Deputy –** Hollowpool – Light brown she-cat with dark brown marking and bright green eyes

**Medicine Cat – **Brindlefur – Light brown tortoiseshell she-cat with black cape on neck. One white foreleg with a white muzzle and tan fur surrounding face, curving down to almost reach the eye. Long gash on right foreleg and sand yellow eyes

Apprentice: Silentflower

**Warriors – **Poppyheart – dark brown she-cat with black paws and light green eyes

Eagleswoop – Dark gray tom with light blue eyes

**Apprentice: Riverpaw**

Orangespots – White she-cat with orange spots and purple eyes

**Apprentice: Tigerpaw**

Emberstorm – Dark ginger she-cat with gray paws and gray eyes

Reedstripes – Light brown tom with darker stripes and dark blue eyes

**Apprentice: Bramblepaw**

Splashclaw – Pure white tom with amber eyes

Owlleave – Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Honeyclaw – Light brown tabby she-cat with golden paws and amber eyes

**Apprentice: Greenpaw**

Adderfur – Dark gray, almost black tom with amber eyes

Mosswhisker – dusty brown she-cat with light blue eyes

**Apprentice: Scalespaw**

Cliffpelt – Light brown tom with orange stripes and yellow eyes

Rainstrike – Blue gray tom with black stripes on legs and green eyes

**Apprentice: Nightpaw**

Frostclaw – Brown tom with white paws and blue eyes

**Apprentice: Lightpaw**

Kestrelfur – Dark tabby tom with sand yellow eyes

**Apprentice: Cougarpaw**

Frostwhisker – Tortoiseshell she-cat with white muzzle and belly and piercing blue eyes

**Apprentices – **Tigerpaw – Dark ginger tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes

Greenpaw – Tortoiseshell she-cat with large light green eyes

Lightpaw – Light gray she-cat with blue eyes

Riverpaw – Dark gray tom with white tail tip and blue eyes

Wildpaw – White she-cat with light gray mask and blue eyes with yellow flecks

Bramblepaw – White tom with dark brown face and blue eyes

Cougarpaw – Light brown tom with dark crown legs and yellow eyes

Nightpaw – Pure black she-cat with violet eyes

Scalespaw – Reddish brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Silentflower – Light gray she-cat with silver stripes on tail and light blue eyes

**Queens – **Emberheart – Dark ginger she-cat with dark green eyes. Mate – Frostclaw. Kit – Sandkit (Light ginger she-cat with light green eyes)

Bluefur – Blue gray she-cat with yellow eyes. Mate – Cliffpelt. Kits – Shykit (Light gray tabby she-cat with darker stripes on face and blue eyes) Dawnkit (Pure white she-cat with yellow eyes)

Jadeheart – Brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. Mate – Rainstrike. Kits – Jumpkit (Dark brown tom with light brown eyes) Fawnkit (Light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes) Emeraldkit (dark brown tom with shining green eyes) Stonekit (Light gray tom with green eyes)

Rosepetal – Cream she-cat with darker flecks and amber eyes. Mate – Emberstorm. Kits – Skykit (Pale blue gray she-cat with white paws, chest, and tail tip and green eyes) Rainkit (Blue gray she-cat with silver paws and green eyes) Pantherkit (Black tom with dark gray paws and belly with yellow eyes)

Thundercloud – Light ginger she-cat with dark blue eyes. Pregnant with Splashclaw's kits.

**Elders – **Featherfur – Fluffy light gray she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes

Cats Outside Clans:

Anger – Pure black tom with amber eyes. Rouge

Lost – Dark brown tabby tom with white patch on throat. Lives on SwiftClan territory. Rouge

Misery – Light brown she-cat with blue eyes. Formerly Shadowbright of MoonClan. Rouge

Straw – White tom with blue eyes. Former kittypet. Rouge

Falcon – Silver tom with white tail tip and sky blue eyes. Forced to live as rouge when CloudClan was defeated

Fang – Black tom with white spots and tail and ice blue eyes

Crystalclaw – Dark gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Exiled for breaking the warrior code

Henna – Reddish brown she-cat with green eyes

Bow – White she-cat with black stripes and amber eyes. (Brother – Arrow). Kittypet

Arrow – Black tom with white paws and amber eyes Kittypet

Oreo – Black tom with white belly, paws, chin, and nose with yellow eyes

Tigger – Light ginger tabby tom with darker stripes on sides and amber eyes

Prologue

Crouching on the bank of a clear pool, a silver she-cat with stars in her fur looked into its depths seeing a group of cats chasing after a rabbit on the moors. She smiled, and it grew wider when two kits joined her.

"Hello, Cricketkit and Lionkit. Do you wish to hear how the Clans you were to live in became? I was there" Lionkit nodded vigorously.

"It all began with dreams; weird ones," the she-cat began. Both kits had quieted down and were listening intently. "A cat would come to me, stars in his fur, and say 'Loning is no more. It is time for four to rule the forest!' I would try to chase after him, but he always ran faster, and soon his tabby pelt disappeared over the mountains.

"My father, Thunder, would always comfort me when I awoke panting. He would also joke that I could never get a good night sleep like my sister, Snow. Flower, my mother, would always purr at our bickering.

"'Sleek,' he'd always chuckle, 'if you don't stop thrashing around your nest, I'll make you sleep outside the den!' But he never did.

" He never knew that I would sneak away every night to see Talon. He was Shadow's son, and my best friend. Talon and I would always laugh at Eagle, River's son, Leaf, Wind's son, or Blue, Sky's daughter. Together we were happy."

"Thunder? Shadow? Wind? River? Sky?" Cricketkit asked. "Weren't they the first leaders of the Clans-of-Long-Ago?"

"Yes, Cricketkit, that is where our tale begins. 'It would never last' I thought," The she-cat continued, "'All of these loners can't survive together. What would happen in leaf-bare?'"

"Leaf-bare is always hard." Lionkit interrupted, " right Cricketkit? That's how we came here! But Emberheart didn't come with us."

"Do you want me to continue," the she-cat asked crossly. Both kits nod, so the she-cat continues with her story.

" Then the battle came. All were driven hard by their family. Flower fought furiously with Snow and I, urging us on. I saw my father grappling with River in the underbrush, but I would not join him; it was his fight. Unfortunately, our fighting was not enough for my mother. Wolf, Talon's brother, killed her. I killed him with Snow in vengeance, and Talon never knew.

"The fighting only ceased when the dead -"

"The dead?!?" Cricketkit squeaked.

"Yes," the she-cat explained calmly, "you know them as StarClan, such as me, you, and Lionkit. Yes, the dead came to see us, the stars in their fur. Wolf was by my mother, quietly saying that he was sorry.

"Together, StarClan and the loners created five Clans, named after my father, River, Wind, Shadow, and Sky. Technically I was Talon's worst enemy now. Rules were created. The warrior code as you know it. Other than the rules, Clan life was good, for a while. I became Sleekpelt, and Snow became Snowflower, after my mother.

"Soon I became restless. I had kits, beautiful kits named Redkit and Birdkit, but it didn't help my restlessness.

"At a Gathering one night, I announced to all that I was leaving. Anyone wishing to join me could.

"Thunderstar was speechless. His own daughter, leave the Clans? All the other leaders were smug, until their own cats spoke up, Talonshade included. With a flick of my tail, I picked up Redkit and left, the cats that wished to leave following me. Talonshade never left my side, always carrying Birdkit; his kit. He once told me that we had enough for two small Clans, I felt joyful.

"Together we crossed the mountains, and we found a lake. But that lake didn't hold the needs for all cats, so we moved on.

"By the time we had enough cats for three Clans, we had found the place. Forests, bigger than the ones at home, resided next to a marsh. Many creeks and a bigger river flowed through one territory, and usually ended in the others. Lastly, there was a drier patch of marsh, with a few trees. It was perfect for all.

"The Clans grew, and separated into the territories we felt most comfortable in. Unknowingly we created four more Clans.

"Fights broke out inside each Clan for leadership. Flameclaw was victorious in our Clan.

"Flameclaw found out that Mooneyes, Swiftcatch, Waterstep, and Cloudfur were victorious in their own Clans. That's how we became MoonClan, SwiftClan, FlameClan, WaterClan and CloudClan."

"Lionkit and I were supposed to be in MoonClan." Cricketkit announced.

"Yes," Sleekpelt said, "I was in FlameClan. Now let me finish. The CloudClan cats had lived with us for countless seasons and many generations, but after a harsh leaf-bare, they were driven out. MoonClan cats had died because of lack of prey, and they recruited the other Clans to help. In the end, they were successful, and each Clan got a section of the territory to help feed themselves. Many CloudClan cats died, but some survived as rouges. The other Clans were guilty in driving out the CloudClan cats, but pushed it away, because finally they were happy; far away from the original Clans, starting their own.

"The beginning of the Clans was rough, but it smoothed out. I just wish…" Sleekpelt sighed, "I just wish that some weren't out to ruin it all."

"I like that story," Lionkit meowed, "I'll tell it to the other kits, ok?"

"If we want to tell it to them, we got to hurry!" Cricketkit said, "Bye Sleekpelt! Thanks for telling it to us!"

'Kits,' Sleekpelt thought as she watched them bound away, but she changed her mind when a better thought bounced around her mind. 'At least they know of the Clans now, even if they don't get to live in them.

With a sigh she turned back to the pool, intent on the cats chasing yet another rabbit.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, here's the next chapter. I've been trying to get it out, but typing stinks and my softball coach has been running me into the ground. Never mind. Here it is! Enjoy!**

**MoonClan –**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Longrock for a Clan meeting." Ashstar called to an empty clearing. Slowly all cats padded out. The only sound came from two kits, who were yowling as their mother furiously licked them.

"Shadebrook!" the bigger kit cried, "I'm clean! I'm clean! I don't need you licking me!"

Shadebrook stopped her licking then, and sat down wearily beside her mate, Waspfur.

"Finally," she sighed, "Back to being deputy! I missed that, and it will be a lot easier than taking care of those two! I just wish that Clawkit wasn't going to his apprentice ceremony with his fur all tangled."

"I believe you." He laughed. "Just remember we had those kits for a reason." He added solemnly. Shadebrook was about to speak, but closed her mouth and nodded when she saw Ashstar was going to.

"I, Ashstar, leader of MoonClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand your noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in turn."

The two excited apprentices dashed up to Ashstar when she motioned for them with a flick of her whiskers. "Pinepaw and Windpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Both apprentices nodded, and said, "I do," clearly, eyes shining brightly with happiness.

"Then by the powers of StarClan," Ashstar continued, "I give you your warrior names. Windpaw, from now on, you will be known as Windtail. StarClan honors your strength and courage. Pinepaw, from this point on, you will be known as Pinewhisker. StarClan honors your intelligence and bravery. We welcome you as full warriors of MoonClan." She rested her muzzle on both apprentices' heads, and they respectfully licked her shoulder.

"Windtail! Pinewhisker! Windtail! Pinewhisker!" All of MoonClan chanted, happy that two more warriors were joining their ranks.

"Wait! Ashstar meowed to the quickly dispersing Clan, "I'm not done yet! Taking their place are two more apprentices." Clawkit and Talonkit both rushed up to her when she said these words.

"It is a proud day for MoonClan," Ashstar said when the two kits joined her. "Replacing Pinewhisker and Windtail will be two more apprentices. It is a very proud day for MoonClan. By naming apprentices we show that MoonClan is, and will remain, strong.

"Clawkit, from this point on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Clawpaw. Snaketail, you have done well teaching Dovewing, and I hope you will do the same for Clawpaw." Snaketail managed to keep a straight face until Clawpaw ran up to him and touched noses eagerly.

"Talonkit, from this point on, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Talonpaw. Eclipsedmoon, it is time that you had an apprentice. Teach Talonpaw all that you know to be a loyal warrior to MoonClan."

The young tom ran up to Eclipsedmoon and touched noses. "Clawpaw! Talonpaw! Clawpaw! Talonpaw!" the Clan chanted.

"_Now_ I'm done." Ashstar said, and turned around to head into her den in a cleft of Longrock. No cat could see, but while her back was turned, a smile played at Ashstar's mouth, a smile that exactly mirrored Shadebrook's.

Everyone in MoonClan was happy that night, but nobody knew the danger that was to come; shattering the happy feeling, and making it no more than a painful memory.

**SwiftClan – **

Wolfstar glanced quickly at the patrol returning to camp comprising of Sheepfoot, Jaygaze, Pricklepaw, Whitefrost, and Whiteheart. All was normal in camp; the apprentices wrestling, the warriors talking, the kits mewling, and the soft rustle of herbs as Starheart counted them.

Suddenly, another patrol burst into camp. Wolfstar frowned; that was not normal. With the patrol were two unknown cats with a stench of twoleg surrounding them, and a kit dangling from Goldenheart's mouth.

"Stormheart!" Wolfstar meowed, "what is this?"

"Wolfstar," the tom growled fiercely, "We found these two _kittypets,_" he spat the last word out, "by the creek that flows from WaterClan territory. They said that they wished for a more exciting life, and that they could hunt and fight as well as any Clan cat. They also said that they wished to join our Clan, because they could run fast and loved the taste of rabbit. I was going to drive them out, but Angelwing wanted to let them see you."

Wolfstar nodded slowly, then turned to Goldenheart. "And this kit?" she prompted.

Goldenheart put the kit down gently, and then said in her quiet voice, "We found him far out on the moors, not by any Clan territory. There was no scent on him, and he looks starved."

Amberflower, who had been quietly listening, rushed over. "I'll take care of him," she said, "I only have Seedkit and Cinderkit, but plenty of milk. The other queens with three kits, and everyone taking care of Branchkit and Finchkit."

"Very well," Wolfstar said, "You may take…"

The kit spoke up unexpectedly. "My name's Bigkit" he told the SwiftClan cats, "because I was so much bigger than my – "

Bigkit was cut off then by Amberflower picking him up by the scruff and leading him to the nursery.

"What about the kittypets?" Thorngrove sneered.

"I will – " Wolfstar started, but a screech interrupted her. She turned from Thorngrove to face Boulderpelt and Whitefrost, who had jumped on the two kittypets.

Loud snarling came out of the black and white kittypet's mouth. In a few rapid moves, Boulderpelt was pinned underneath him with a bleeding shoulder.

The ginger kittypet tried to escape too, but was trapped under the stronger Whitefrost. In his struggle, he only succeeded in raking his claws down Whitefrost's face.

The warrior yowled in fury, raising his paw to attack, but the kittypet saw his chance and ducked out behind Whitefrost, ready to spring at the unbalanced tom.

"Wait!" yowled Tigerflash. "I _hate _kittypets, but these two could be useful for us. Imagine using that battle move that the black and white one used against a MoonClan cat. I know nobody here knew of that move, it would give us an advantage in battle. They could help us, and in return, we could let them join." The last word was spat out, as if saying that kittypets were not worthy, yet helpful.

"I agree with Tigerflash," Blackfur meowed. Yowls of agreement and protest rang out around the clearing; it seemed the whole Clan had come to watch. "They have proven themselves!" He continued, "They look only 6 moons. Do you see a SwiftClan apprentice their age doing what they did to a full-grown warrior without any battle training? No. We should let them join."

Both kittypets looked tense as Wolfstar thought this out. "I… will… let them join." She said slowly, "but no more. Any kittypet found on our territory will be driven out." Some cats cheered, while others growled.

"What are your names?" Wolfstar asked.

"My name is Tigger." The ginger tabby said proudly.

"It sounds like Tiger, so you will be known as Tigerpaw. And you?" she asked the black and white kittypet.

"I'm Oreo." He said defiantly, as if to challenge any cat to make fun of his name.

"What's an oreo?" Brightkit, who had been listening with Swiftwind and her brothers outside the nursery, asked.

"I really don't know." The kittypet admitted, "but I think its some kind of twoleg food."

"Twoleg food?" Lilywhisker asked

Wolfstar wasn't listening to this exchange. "I have a good name for you!" she announced suddenly. "You will be named Whitepaw. We have two more apprentices now. I will be mentor to Whitepaw, and… Angelwing will be mentor to Tigerpaw. Understood?"

The Clan cats nodded, then continued with what they were doing before the kittypets came.

"Wetpelt, Dovewhisper, Graypaw, and Addertail will come with me and Ashpaw on a border patrol on WaterClan's side. They have been hunting the stray rabbits at there side of the border, and I want to make sure they aren't crossing it. Lightningstrike, Icewhisker, Boulderpelt, Horsepaw, Lilywhisker, and Featherpaw will go on a hunting patrol. The prey is starting to run, but I want a lot, because it is so early in newleaf."

As both patrols headed out, Tigerflash said a quick greeting to Whiteheart, who was guarding the entrance. Everything was returning to normal.

"Come," Wolfstar sighed, as if already regretting her decision. "You must know the borders of our territory if you are to become a loyal SwiftClan warrior."

Whitepaw eagerly followed Wolfstar as she exited the camp, as excited as any new apprentice.

**FlameClan –**

"Faster! No, jump higher!" Darkclaw cried as Tanglepaw was again pinned by Fawnpaw.

"I think your apprentice is more of a hunter." Bristleclaw chuckled, but his_ mrrow _of laughter was stopped short by Darkclaw's fierce look at him.

He motioned for the young apprentice with his tail, and when he came, Darkclaw bent his head to him.

"I'm trying Darkclaw! I just – "

"I know you're trying." Darkclaw interrupted. "Just listen though. You know I chose you as my apprentice for a reason, right?" He quickly silenced Tanglepaw with his tail. "Yes, I did. I watched you bowl over your brother and sister, knowing you would become a great warrior. Then your father disappeared, and your mother and brother died from greencough. You grew close to Leopardkit, but still had the makings of a great warrior. But she was killed when MoonClan made a raid on our camp. You grew distraught and unresponsive, and all the queens knew that you would never be the same. But I knew better. I chose you because I knew that you still had the warrior instinct in you, and that I could bring it out of you. Now, go and fight like you are fighting the warrior who killed Leopardkit."

Tanglepaw nodded, then said, "I'm ready." Determinedly.

Icetail, who was stalking a vole nearby, had killed it quickly and listened in to the conversation. He smiled when he saw that Darkclaw's speech had worked. Tanglepaw was pinning Fawnpaw down every single time. Icetail picked up the vole and carried it towards camp.

"A vole?" Redkit squeaked, "is it for me?" Icetail laughed quietly and gave the vole to the kit. He followed the kit, who was having trouble dragging it into the nursery, and greeted his mate.

"Icetail has been so happy since Featherheart has had her kits." Hollowclaw said to Mousepelt and Jumpfoot. "I could never have kits."

Both cats shook their heads. "Me neither," Mousepelt said, "If a tom liked me, that's as far as it would go."

"Mousepelt! Hollowclaw! Jumpfoot! If you don't have anything to do, take a couple warriors and go on a hunting patrol." Shadowmist yowled. "We need some fresh-kill for the elders and queens."

Mousepelt grumbled, but said, "Brindlefoot, would you and Darkpaw come with us to hunt? Lion jump and Hawkpaw too." With the gathered cats around him, they left.

"Thank StarClan!" Riverheart exclaimed to the four she-cats with her. "Jumpfoot was really getting on my nerves."

Flowerstripe, Orangetail, and Clumsyfoot laughed. "Getting on your nerves?" Cherrystripe asked innocently, "How? I kinda like him."

"What?!?" Flowerstripe yowled, disturbing Dewtail, who was basking in front of the warrior's den.

"He's kinda cute with his light green eyes." Cherrystripe replied.

"Nope, this conversation is over," Clumsyfoot announced. "Cherrystripe, keep your liking of my brother to yourself." With that, she got up and headed to the fresh-kill pile.

Stripefur passed her with a bundle of herbs in his mouth and a bouncing Lilypaw by his side, her mouth also filled with sweet-smelling herbs.

"Is this enough, Rushfoot?" Stripefur asked, his words slightly slurred by the leaves. "Why do you need so much catmint anyway?"

The she-cat came out of her boulder den and took the leaves. "I lost too many cats this leafbare to greencough. Its still slightly cold, and some cats might still get it. I want to be prepared. The only reason those cats died is because we didn't have any." She quietly explained.

Stripefur nodded solemnly, then spoke to Lilypaw. "I sent your friend to go hunt, because they were lounging around. You might now see them till later."

Lilypaw shrugged. "I will only go to them tonight, to share a piece of fresh-kill. I'm too busy now."

A yowl from the elder's den made Stripefur jump.

"Lightningpaw!" Grassblade howled furiously. "Just because I'm not as old as the other elders, it doesn't mean that I like wet moss!"

Birchstar, who had been talking to her apprentice, looked at him. Lightningpaw ducked his head and left for more moss.

Birchstar took the quiet moment to look around camp. All was normal in FlameClan, her Clan. And if anything tried to harm these innocent cats, they would have to fight her fang and claw.

**WaterClan –**

A group of queens and kits were by the river, swimming efficiently.

"Like this, Rosepetal?" Skykit asked.

"Yes," Rosepetal purred, "You are doing well."

Upon hearing Skykit's praise, the other kits ran into the slow moving water. "This is the part I find most exciting!" Jadeheart said. "Teaching the kits how to swim is important for WaterClan, and is fun."

"I agree," Emberheart said, "its what makes us, us." And both Jadeheart and Rosepetal nodded. Bluefur was too busy watching the kits to reply.

"Bluefur," Jadeheart meowed. "Stop watching the kits so closely. They know how to swim, and the water is very low and slow today. Nothing is going to happen."

The reeds rustled wildly, then stopped. Bluefur looked at Jadeheart accusingly, and then went back to watching, slowly drawing air over her scent glands. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide, but before she could yowl out a warning, a twoleg kit ran into the clearing beside the river.

"No!" Emberheart cried, then leapt at the twoleg, who was trying to get Sandkit. It yowled happily and grabbed Emberheart in its big paws.

"NO!" Frostclaw echoed loudly as he burst from the reeds where he was watching his kit swim.

The twoleg saw him, and ran, with Emberheart still in its grasp. Bluefur moved quickly, gathering all the kits to her, and watching Frostclaw chase after the kit until they disappeared over the hill. Slowly she led the kits back to camp.

"Sparrowstar?" Rosepetal asked, "Will you come here?"

"Yes," he replied, coming over. "You are back quickly. Did the kits do well? Oh, and Emberheart, Frostclaw wanted… where is she?"

"A twoleg kit took her as she tried to protect Sandkit. Frostclaw tried to chase it, but it ran too fast in the direction of the twoleg nests." Rosepetal explained. Sparrowstar's mouth gaped, but it closed, and was replaced with a pained look.

"All cats old enough to catch their own fish, gather beneath Rockhill for a Clan meeting." A few apprentices tumbled out of their den excitedly, but sobered when they saw the look on Sparrowstar's face.

"I have some bad news," He announced, "Emberheart was caught by a twoleg when she was trying to teach her kit to swim."

Mews of disbelief came from every cat. "Emberheart, gone?" Honeyclaw asked.

"My sister!" Cliffpelt cried, earning a sympathetic look from the leader.

"I have a way to get her back. The – " He was interrupted by Frostclaw charging into camp, sides heaving.

"I l-l-lost her!" he spluttered sadly "I l-lost them when the kit crossed a Thunderpath! She's gone! She doesn't even get to see her kit grow up!"

"As I was _saying_," Sparrowstar continued irritably, "I have a plan to get her back. If she was taken by twolegs to become a kittypet, then they _must _let her out sometime, right? If she does, then she can come back here, and live her life."

The Clan looked at him uneasily. "Trust me," he said convincingly, "What kittypets do you know that aren't let out by their twolegs? It WILL work." Cats nodded. They knew that Sparrowstar knew stuff like that; that's why he was leader.

Every cat left, but Frostclaw remained, frozen to that spot as if ice held him there. The only thought that raced around his head was Emberheart's last words to him. 'I love you. Take good care of Sandkit!'

Around moonhigh, he moved, heading for the nursery. "I will." He quietly promised Emberheart.

**Moonhigh, outside all four camps –**

Rustle, rustle, SNAP! The apprentice froze; she wasn't supposed to do this, let alone at night. What if someone caught her? She breathed easier when the movements stopped. The apprentice slinked away, and moved faster when she saw CloudClan's former territory, equally shared by all four Clans.

Waiting underneath the tree that marked the exact center of the territory was a cat. She ran towards the tom, who was also an apprentice, and rubbed her muzzle around is, purring.

"I'm so glad you came!" the tom purred. "I thought you forgot!"

"Not for all the mice in StarClan." The she-cat breathed.

"It's so hard to sneak out of camp," the tom said, "Just wait till I'm a warrior, it'll be a lot easier to sneak out of camp!"

"Oh, I know! I usually go at night, or in the day, I use the excuse I was hunting. What do you want your warrior name to be?"

"I was hoping my 'paw would be replaced with 'claw. It sounds really fierce. What about you?"

"I want my 'paw to be replaced with 'star," she joked, "No, I really want to have a 'step. I like the sound; it makes me sound gentle, and its good to be gentle, especially if _we _have kits. Why are you named why you are named?"

"Because my mother wanted my name to be special." He said proudly, "No cat will have this name. And, when I become leader, every cat will know me in the future."

"Good point," the she-cat replied. "Come to think of it, all the leaders shared the name with a cat in the past. Sparrowstar, Sparrowfeather; Wolfstar, Wolfpelt; Ashstar, Ashclaw; Birchstar, Birchtail. No cat in the past had _your_ name"

"And I will do it proud, so that no cat will make fun of me. I'm bored of talking, let's hunt!" the tom finished as both cats prowled away across the sparse grass.

**Moonhigh in Clan territory –**

The leader sighed in relief. She'd just stepped on a twig, alerting another cat, but they didn't notice her. Good. She had better things to do tonight.

She passed into a new territory, and the stench of another Clan overpowered her, but she forced herself on.

Pushing into a clearing, she saw cats from each Clan except one, and many rouges.

Another leader stood up, and said evilly, "Let the Quarter Moon Gathering to destroy the Clans begin!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Did I mention how much I hate typing?**

**SwiftClan – **"I bet you couldn't catch that rabbit! You're just a kittypet, not true SwiftClan blood." Pricklepaw sneered to Tigerpaw, ignoring the looks from both Jaygaze and Angelwing.

The ginger tom bared his teeth at the other apprentice. "I could," he snarled. "I'm just as good, if not better, than you in every way. Do you not notice how I beat you every time in fighting practice?" Tigerpaw lashed his tail angrily, and then slowly stalked towards a grazing rabbit. When its head rose in alarm, Tigerpaw sprinted towards it, catching it after it took a few bounds.

Tigerflash, who had been watching in a gorse bush with Wolfstar, said quietly to the she-cat, "Both kittypets are doing well. It was a wise decision to let them join our Clan."

Wolfstar grunted quietly, acknowledging his words, then went back to watching. Tigerflash shrugged then pushed out of the bush, careful not to let it rustle. He headed into SwiftClan camp, and after promising Ashpaw some battle practice when he was done, he headed to the nursery.

Tigerflash glanced quickly at the other queens, but his gaze settled lovingly on Amberflower. She lay near the edge of the nursery, watching their kits play. He saw that Bigkit fit in well with his own, and already felt a fatherly instinct towards the young tom.

"Can we go to Viperbelly and hear a story?" Patchkit asked Ivygaze. "We'll be apprentices soon, me and Firekit can handle it!"

"Okay," Ivygaze answered willingly, "Just remember the story so that I have something to listen to later on, other than you two fighting." She added with a chuckle.

Firekit bounded up happily and rushed out the cramped den, closely followed by Patchkit. Tigerflash gave Amberflower a quick lick, and then he too left the nursery.

"Featherdapple!" Rabbitkit whined, "I want to go too. You let Poppykit get a piece of fresh-kill two days ago!"

"It wasn't _just _fresh-kill," Poppykit interjected crossly, "It was a rabbit that Whitefrost caught for us."

"Featherdapple," Icekit asked persuasively, "I'm sure that we wouldn't get hurt. It's not that bad a walk. If you want, and if Amberflower is willing, we could take Seedkit, Cinderkit, and Bigkit, too."

Amberflower glanced over amusingly. "It's fine with me." She said, gaining a terse nod from Featherdapple. The six kits rushed excitedly out, heading for the old rabbits den.

"And then – " Viperbelly said. "Oh… more kits. Well then, let me start from the beginning.

Lightstep groaned as Viperbelly started his tale again. "It was a hard leafbare, and the rabbits had stopped coming out, because the snow had become many foxlegnths high. Then, the leader before Blazestar, Brackenstar, he decided to use the small patch of trees by twoleg nests, and he dubbed it Swallwood. The snow didn't fall there, and it was full of prey, although the bad things were the thorns and brambles that pierced skin and tore fur. We – "

A pain-filled yowl cut the elder off. Viperbelly huffed in annoyance, while Lightstep stuck her head out of the den.

She saw Pricklepaw being held up by Jaygaze and Tigerpaw, while Angelwing hurriedly told Starheart what happened.

"Pricklepaw was trying to show up Tigerpaw by catching a squirrel in Smallwood," Angelwing explained, a spark of pride in her voice. "The squirrel jumped, but Pricklepaw couldn't, and he ran into a bramble bush. I think one of the thorns pierced his eye." Lightstep gasped, then ducked into the den.

"I'll go get some moss soaked in water." Patchkit immediately announced after Lightstep explained what was going on outside. "I want to be a medicine cat apprentice." She added as she rushed out of the den.

Viperbelly sighed. "Why can't we _ever_ get a normal day in this Clan?" he asked as he curled up and slapped his tail over his eyes.

Starheart had ushered Pricklepaw into her den when Patchkit arrived with the moss.

"Patchkit, how did you know that I wanted this?" Starheart asked, clearly surprised.

"To clean the eye properly, as licking it would be too rough." Patchkit replied. "Starheart, in a quarter of a moon, when I'm six moons old, can I be your apprentice?"

Starheart was speechless. She'd just become a full medicine cat a little while ago, when Tornsong had died, and she already had an apprentice?

"Sure, Patchkit. You'd better start learning the herbs now."

"Hold on." Patchkit said, "I have to tell Wolfstar something first."

She caught the huge she-cat as she was returning from outside the camp. "Wolfstar," the kit asked with caution, "When I was out getting water for Starheart, I noticed that the steam was _very _low, even with all the rain we just had."

A happy smile flashed on the leaders face, but was quickly replaced by a calm star. "I'm sure that it is nothing." She said, "We still have plenty of water,"

Patchkit, happy that her question was answered, bounded off to the medicine den to learn herbs to heal an eye and other maladies.

**MoonClan – **"The mentors that you have chosen for Clawpaw and Talonpaw were very good." Waspfur told Ashstar. "They will learn very well on how to – " He cut off what he was saying as Yelloweye entered Ashstar's den.

"Flamestorm's patrol had caught scent of SwiftClan on our side of the borders." He said with authority.

"Send the cats in who were in that patrol." Ashstar ordered. Yelloweye nodded, respectively, then drew out. Gingertail, Flowerpaw, Flamestorm, Yellowpaw, and Shinefall filed in shortly after he left.

"Is this true?" Ashstar asked, her muscles starting to tense. All of them nodded. "Okay. How many cats had crossed, and where were they heading?"

"We scented one cat coming from the very heart of SwiftClan territory." Flamestorm said. "It was fairly old, about two days, and well covered. We wouldn't have found it unless Flowerpaw hadn't stumbled across it when stalking a frog."

"The tracks were heading for Fewtrees. They disappeared in the boggier places near Fewtrees, and we don't know when, or if, they came out." Gingertail added.

"Did you recognize the scent?" Ashstar questioned. All the warriors shook their heads.

She turned to the apprentices, and Flowerpaw shook her head, but Yellowpaw said clearly, "Yes, at my first Gathering I smelled something like it, but I don't remember whom."

"Very well," Ashstar growled, "If there is any more scent trails after this, we will attack, no questions asked." Ashstar dismissed the cats and sighed in relief, relaxing her taut muscles.

"Birdflight!" Shadowpelt called. "I felt a movement under my fur, can you please check on me?"

Graypool laughed. "You're kits are coming soon. _I _could have told you that. Bad news is that you need to take borage for your milk to come."

After Birdflight left with a bundle of herbs in her mouth, Eclipsedmoon dashed into her den. He grabbed a few things from the storage, then quickly hurrying to Shimmerstrike, who lay in a nest.

"Eclipsedmoon?" Birdflight asked. "What are you doing in my den?"

Eclipsedmoon looked up from Shimmerstrike, who he had been focusing on intently. "You weren't in the den, and I just wanted to see how Shimmerstrike was dealing with her broken paw." He explained, his words slightly muffled.

Birdflight nodded, but said, "Leave now. Shimmerstrike needs rest."

After Eclipsedmoon left, he met Shadebrook, who was sitting near the den. "Got it," he whispered. "And I was_ very_ careful not to bite down."

Shadebrook grinned then picked the herb up in her mouth. She headed for the camp entrance, denying Dawnshadow, Stormheart, and Dovewing's offer of a vole.

Brambleslash was guarding the camp, solemnly watching Pinewhisker and Windtail teach Bloodpaw and Daypaw some fighting moves. He didn't react as she sidled past him, but gave a nasty sneer to Shadestalker, who was leaving with a big wad of dirty moss.

"Going to break the code again?" Tigerflash mocked Shadestalker, gaining a look of death from the tom. As he chided Shadestalker, Tigerflash was oblivious as Shadebrook slinking away with her deadly load.

**WaterClan – **"Kits! Kits! Thundercloud's having her kits!" Splashclaw yowled to any cat that would listen.

Honeyclaw smiled happily at the tom, but Mosswhisker just grimaced in distaste.

Kestrelfur sighed happily. "I remember when Sparrowstar, Brindlefur, and Robinkit was born. I was yowling so loud, I bet the Clans-of-Long-Ago could hear me!" he said to Frostwhisker, who had a frown on her face.

Rainstrike joined in the conversation. "When my father, Fierceclaw, was alive, he used to tell me, that when I was born, he filled the fresh-kill pile up on his own, he was that happy. I never believed him, though."

"Oh, believe it." Adderfur meowed. "The fish taste twice as better if you don't have to catch it yourself. My mother went around, asking cats what name they wanted for me to have. Fishheart, the old elder, finally came up with Adderkit."

"I don't know how I came to this Clan." Orangespots mewed sadly.

"It was a dark and stormy night, when Sparrowstar, then Sparrowtail, found you." Featherfur explained to the young she-cat. "You were over by one of the streams near SwiftClan territory, but no cat in SwiftClan had lost a kit. You were mewling pitifully, and, although there was a warm spot near you, the rain washed away the scent. It is truly one of WaterClan's mysteries, though we got a great warrior out of it."

"There are two very healthy kits!" Brindlefur triumphantly announced as she exited the nursery with Silentflower behind her.

"Pretty soon those kits will be apprentices." Reedstripes said aloud.

Frostclaw entered the camp, carrying a large fish. His ears pricked forward when he heard the talk in camp, but when he paid attention to the actual words, a snarl formed on his face.

He dropped his fish on the pile, and then stalked up to Sparrowstar and asked in a steely voice, "Can I take a patrol to the twoleg nests? I scented a kittypet there before."

Sparrowstar gave the tom his permission, the walked over to the nursery, to give the queen inside congratulations.

"Poppyheart, Eagleswoop, Emberstorm, Riverpaw, and Owlleave, will you come on a patrol with me to the twoleg nests?" Frostclaw asked the cats.

Poppyheart looked at him questionably. "I scented a kittypet near there." At his explanation, the cats got up and followed him out of camp.

They swam across many streams and the river, and came to a spot that reeked of kittypet.

"Kittypet all right." Eagleswoop declared. "We will follow it, but I want Poppyheart to go with Frostclaw to see where it went."

Frostclaw scowled. "This is my patrol." He muttered. "I will go alone to see where the kittypet came from." He stalked off, but once the cats disappeared over a hill, he sprinted over a path he followed two days ago.

Finally he was where he wanted to be, over the Thunderpath, and into the maze of nests.

A black and white kittypet sat on a wall, grooming herself.

"Hey you!" Frostclaw yowled, making the she-cat jump. "No! Don't run away. I just wanted to talk to you!"

She stayed, but eyed him warily. "I know you1," she announced suddenly. "You were that wild cat who chased after the little housefolk with the new cat. What's your name?"

"I'm Frostclaw." He replied absentmindedly. "Where is this cat that was in the two- I mean, little housefolk's paws?"

"I'll take you to her. Her housefolk don't let her out, but her name's Ariel. I'm Bow, by the way." The she-cat answered and led Frostclaw to a nest. Inside of the nest, behind a clear wall, was a ginger she-cat wearing a collar.

"Emberheart!" Frostclaw cried, rushing up to the wall.

"Oh, Frostclaw. I missed you, but the twolegs won't let me out! They also put me in this collar." She mewed, words barely audible.

"I'll get you out." Frostclaw promised, "I will, even if it - " an angry yowl from a twoleg near the edge of its territory made him freeze. He vaguely heard Bow yowl, "Run!" but was already dashing after her.

Bow led him to the edge of the Twoleg nests, and he left her there, anger simmering in him like a volcano ready to bow. A kits mew distracted him. Frostclaw saw the young tom, and leapt, claws unsheathed. They landed on its throat, and with one quick move, the kit would be dead, it had to pay for this injustice done to his mate.

_What am I doing?_ Frostclaw asked himself, and then removed his claws from the kits. He picked it up, and went to find his patrol.

**FlameClan – **Darkpaw breathed in. _Newleaf_ he thought_ the best time of the year. _He was out on a hunting patrol with Icetail, Cherrystripe, Shadowmist, Riverheart, Mousepelt, and Sootpaw.

A plump mouse scurried among the roots of a birch, and with a leap, he dispatched the creature.

"Good catch!" his mentor, Icetail, praised. "I knew I taught you well."

Darkpaw buried the mouse, and scented for more prey. Mousepelt was stalking a finch, and he left her alone. He spotted a squirrel and rushed towards it, making the ferns rustle slightly.

The finch Mousepelt was stalking heard the ferns, and issued an alarm call, before flying away. Mousepelt hissed in annoyance of the apprentice.

Leaves rustled behind her as she spun around to thank Darkpaw for the missed prey.

Instead of Darkpaw, it was another cat, one she knew very well. "I want to rule this Clan." It said. "And the only way to do that, is to kill cats, including you, Mousepelt." The last thing the brown she-cat saw before the starry warriors of StarClan, was the cat leaping, claws unsheathed, bloodlust in its eyes.

Darkpaw had finally caught up to the squirrel. It would take one good bound, when… a screech of pain alerted it and all other prey in the area.

He cursed whatever cat that was, and ran towards them. He found Cherrystripe, Sootpaw, and Icetail meowing mournfully at her side.

"What happened?" Riverheart asked as she emerged from the ferns.

"She's been murdered!" Cherrystripe yowled. "There's no scent, anyone could have done it!"

Shadowmist, who had just appeared, mouse dangling from her jaws, listened closely to the she-cat. "She's still breathing!" she announced, "We _must_ get her to Rushfoot, quickly!" the cats obeyed, carrying Mousepelt as quickly as they could without dropping her.

"What is this?" Birchstar asked incredulously as they entered the camp.

"Mousepelt's been murdered!" Sootpaw blurted out, gaining a shut-up-and-let-the-warriors-deal-with-this glance from Riverheart.

"Rushfoot!" Birchstar immediately called out. As the she-cat came into view, her eyes widened.

"I can't save her!" she whispered quietly, "It's a death cut to her throat. No cat could survive that."

Birchstar looked at the dying Mousepelt, a fighting flame in her eyes.

"If you find scent of any other Clan on her, we will attack," she told Rushfoot, who was examining the body closely, "And, Shadowmist, thank you for bringing her here. She would have died out there. Put her body in the clearing. Ewe will hold vigil for her tonight, so she can ascend into StarClan, where she belongs."

The cats brought Mousepelt's body to the clearing. Gasps of fear, hurt, and surprise echoed around the camp.

"Mousepelt? Please tell me she's sleeping." Liontail pleaded, gazing sorrowfully at his daughter.

"No, Liontail." Shadowmist told the elder gently, "She was murdered in cold blood."

**A/N: Can anyone guess what Eclipsedmoon retrieved for Shadebrook?**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is a short chapter. It shows slightly of how the rouges are planning to take over the Clans, and the warnings StarClan, and others, give to the medicine cats. Enjoy!

**Rouge Camp – **"Shadowbright?" Crystalclaw asked her friend as she entered the makeshift den that the rouges were using.

"Don't call me that!" the she-cat snarled, unsheathing her claws as she whirled to face her friend. "My name is Misery now. Our days in MoonClan were fun, but we were exiled. That has caused me enough pain!"

"Chill, Misery." Straw said, "Crystalclaw just wanted to tell you something."

"And what is that?" Misery asked icily, eyeing the two cats around her with hate. Her tail swished along the floor angrily, making Crystalclaw pause before saying what she had to say.

"_I _will tell you that." A deep voice said from the shadowy entrance of the den. Crystalclaw greeted the patrol of Lost, Falcon, and Fang quietly. "As Crystalclaw was trying to say, " Lost continued, "my mate, Cloudy, had a litter of kits. But, a Clan cat killed her. I had the kits in my care, until I thought of a way to get revenge. I have placed my kits in two different Clans."

"What Clans are these?" Misery asked, intrigued by his tale of revenge.

"SwiftClan and WaterClan." Lost replied.

Misery sharply took in a breath. "That is very good!" she breathed, "We now have an ally in the no-evil Clan! They will surely help in our takeover. The Clans will pay for exiling us."

"Or destroying our beloved Clan!" Falcon added. A silence followed his words, the only sound were crickets chirping in the early newleaf moon.

"A family is even more important." Anger broke the silence as he also entered the den. "Especially if they are killed in front of your eyes as a kit. I will never forget how my new family, Spike, taught me how to be a rouge when I ran away."

"Spike taught us all well." Straw said appreciatively. "Without him, I would be sitting in a twoleg nest, wearing a collar, and eating kittypet food."

"Enough talk of the past!" Anger yowled. "I have a plan. We already have two Clan leaders on our side, but we must get others. We have to help them gain power."

"Yes," Crystalclaw agreed, "and since we already have two on our side, we should convince them to attack the others. We'll help, and -"

"No." Anger meowed. "This is not the time to do that."

"Then when is?" Misery asked angrily, upset at how her post Clanmate was being treated.

"A certain cat in MoonClan gave me _these_ today." Anger said, swiftly rolling out some bright red berries. "We can ask our cats to go to their medicine cat and see what herbs they need. When they go get the herbs…"

"I get it!" Falcon announced.

"Yes. _That _is what will – Fang, where are you going?" Anger asked sharply.

"To… uh… go hunting. Yeah, go hunting. I'm hungry, does anyone want anything?" Fang explained.

Anger gave Fang a scrutinizing glance, but finally turned away, to go back to planning with the other cats.

A quick glance to the rest of the rouges gave Fang the reassurance. He sprinted off, thinking only one thing, 'I have to tell her before it's too late.'

**Birdflight, MoonClan - **Birdflight was up, watching the waxing moon joyously. In two days, she and the other medicine cats would go to Spiritcave, the place where StarClan spoke to them. She couldn't wait.

Suddenly, her sight disappeared. A brook shaded by trees replaced the blackness, and a voice whispered in her ear. "Beware of the one in a higher power."

Birdflight sight returned, and she shook herself in fear. 'A force of evil has came to the forest, dormant for so long. Why is it now that is has to awaken?' she asked herself.

Starheart, SwiftClan – The rabbit was _so _close! Starheart sped up, and she felt her claws graze its fluffy tail.

Her dream was interrupted by Starheart's sudden journey to a dark forest where no stars were visible through the trees. "The Place of No Stars." Starheart whispered.

She saw a tabby she-cat wandering alone. A howl in the distance raised the fur on Starheart's neck, but seemed to be what the she-cat, Fluttercloud, was waiting for.

"Yes, yes." She muttered. "It is a sign that she will join us soon. The only question is if she will succeed."

Starheart gasped, then dashed through the forest. She jolted awake after her dream self fell down a deep cliff. Wearily curling up in her nest of grass and feathers, she kept her eyes open to look for any danger.

**Rushfoot, FlameClan – **"Rushfoot!" a whispered cry from the ferns startled the medicine cat as she was counting dock leaves.

Rushfoot glanced quickly at her apprentice, Lilypaw, to make sure she was still asleep, the asked with caution, "Fang?"

The black tom slid out of the ferns and gave Rushfoot a quick lick. "I don't have much time to say this, so listen closely." He paused, then continued, "Don't trust any herbs that you or your apprenticed didn't get." He finished, and dashed out the way he came, leaving Rushfoot at a loss for words.

**Silentflower, WaterClan **– "And if I put a poultice of marigold onto a cut, it will prevent infection, right?" Silentflower fretfully asked Brindlefur.

Brindlefur laughed. "You know, Silentflower, your personality is much different then your name. You also know every herb, sickness, and wound there is. I wouldn't have given you your name if I didn't think you knew that. And you would still be Silentpaw." She added. "Now get to sleep, we need to prepare for the journey to Spiritcave, soon."

Silentflower sighed, and closed her eyes. Shortly after doing so, a dream came to her. A blurry form of a cat was standing over Sparrowstar, laughing evilly. Silentflower tried to pry her eyes from the gruesome sight, but the cat demanded total attention. Eyes blinked from the shadows, goading it on to 'kill, kill' and 'takeover the forest.'

A yowl escaped her mouth as a paw prodded her side. "I thought I told you to be quiet?" Brindlefur joked. "You were yowling and tossing, is everything ok?"

"Yes… I'm… fine." Silentflower replied shakily, "It was just a bad dream." Brindlefur shrugged and padded back to her own nest, and closed her eyes. Silentflower tried to copy her mentor, but could not, in fear of the cat showing up again.

'Kill, kill' 'Victory will be ours, but only if you kill them' the voices echoed in her head. Silentflower opened her mouth wide, yowling soundlessly in agony.

"Will it _ever _stop?" her thought broke thought he chanting, and for once in her life, Silentflower had no answer.

**A/N:** **Yup, there it is. And, if you are enjoying my stories, please review! I need the support, and only **_**one**_** person reviewed last chapter! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'm so sorry that I could not have gotten this out sooner, but school has been the problem. I have so much homework, that I rarely get any time to write. But, here it is. I hope you enjoy. Oh, by the way… this has many battle scenes, but that is probably what you were waiting for. **

**FlameClan – **The forest was quiet. No birds chirped, no mice squeaked, no squirrels scampered. It was as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for something bad to come.

In the FlameClan camp, all was silent, too. Although Mousepelt had died two days ago, many cats were still mourning in their dens.

"Ugh!" Bramblepaw exclaimed, breaking the silence that held the FlameClan cats in its strong grasp. "I'm tired of sitting so still like this. Sootpaw, Tanglepaw, Jewelpaw, wake Fawnpaw and Darkpaw. We're going exploring."

Jewelpaw prodded Fawnpaw and Darkpaw hurriedly. When both came to, they all crept out of the apprentices' den and looked around. The only cats to be seen were Hawkpaw and Lightningpaw, who were sharing a piece of fresh-kill, and Rushfoot, who quickly disappeared into her den.

Tanglepaw motioned for Hawkpaw and Lightningpaw with his tail, then padded behind the elders den. He paused, scenting and seeing, but finally decided it was safe. Carefully he edged up the wall behind the den, and pushed through the wall of brambles on top.

A wave of his dark brown tail told the others that it was safe, and slowly they began the tedious ascent. At the top was a sandy clearing, completely concealed by a wall of brambles and bracken.

When they emerged out the other side of the wall, they saw Flowerstripe on guard duty. Her head hung low because of her friend's recent death, and the unnatural silence that echoed throughout the entire forest.

The group of apprentices moved quickly and silently past the she-cat, and when they were finally out of her keen hearing range, they relaxed their taut muscles.

"Whew!" exclaimed Sootpaw, "I thought we were caught for sure! Everyone knows that Flowerstripe has the best hearing out of everyone in FlameClan."

"We weren't getting caught! But if Bristleclaw were on duty, we'd be caught for sure. He'd have scented us out once we climbed the wall." Jewelpaw joked, playfully batting Sootpaw's ears.

"We should play a game, now that we're out from the watchful gazes of Birchstar and Shadowmist, and we don't have to take care of the elders." Darkpaw suggested, "and I have the perfect game. Clan." He added smugly.

"No!" Hawkpaw protested loudly, "That game is for kits!"

"I sat we play it." Fawnpaw decided, gaining nods from all the apprentices but Hawkpaw. "Five to one, Hawkpaw, you lose. I think Darkpaw should be leader, since he suggested we play."

"I'll be the deputy! My name will be Bramblestep, and I'll mentor an apprentice." Bramblepaw announced.

Jewelpaw started collecting leaves from the nearest oak tree. "I guess I'll be the medicine cat. My name will be Jewelfeather."

"Me, Fawnpaw, and Hawkpaw will be the warriors. Sootpaw and Tanglepaw will be the apprentices. Everyone _knows_ that my name will be Lightningstripe."

"My name will be Fawnpool, and I'll mentor Sootpaw." Fawnpaw said excitedly, going up to Hawkpaw and batting his ears.

"I'll be Hawktalon. I say that we go on a border patrol, because we are close to the MoonClan border. And instead of being FlameClan, we will be StormClan. MoonClan will be named PineClan." Hawkpaw said.

"I'm leader," Darkpaw said crossly, "and we will have a border patrol to the Moon- no, _ShadowClan _border. We won't be StormClan either. We'll be ThunderClan. We'll play that we're the Clans-of-Long-Ago! Let's patrol now. Bye, Jewelfeather."

At his word, the cats filed out behind him, all except Jewelpaw, who was still collecting leaves from trees. The 'patrol' came to the MoonClan border, and they were immediately assaulted by their bitter scent.

"Ugh," Hawkpaw said disgusted, "ShadowClan doesn't smell too good."

"Well you don't smell too good, yourself." Hawkpaw heard. He turned around, and looked at the other apprentices in turn. They all shook their heads quickly, but their eyes never left the same spot a little over Hawkpaw's shoulder.

"What's the matter guys, mouse got your tongue?" he joked. Suddenly he felt hot breath on his neck. His fur stood up on end where it touched. Hawkpaw turned around, only to be faced with an angry she-cat smelling of MoonClan staring back at him.

"H-h-hello, ash-Ashstar." Hawkpaw stammered, laughing mood gone.

"You over my border?" she asked. Not waiting for the trembling apprentice to give her an answer, she continued, "An apprentice must be taught to stay on his own border, and since it seems that FlameClan isn't doing such a good job, now it is my turn. I won't be very nice, apprentice. Attack!" Ashstar yowled, jumping at the speechless apprentices, claws unsheathed, and many more cats following her.

**WaterClan – **Sparrowstar had just come from a refreshing swim in the river. His chocolate fur was plastered to the sides of his body, but like a true WaterClan cat, he enjoyed that feeling. A large fish dangled from his slackened jaws. Its savory scent was overpowering. Prey was plentiful in the many streams and river, and no twoleg filth tainted it.

Pushing through the barriers of reeds that hid the camp well, Sparrowstar saw the newly made apprentices, Skypaw, Rainpaw, and Pantherpaw, wrestling in front of the apprentices' den. Soon Owlleave and Emberstorm came to take Pantherpaw and Rainpaw fishing, leaving Skypaw alone.

Cougarpelt and Greenheart were sharing a piece of fresh-kill, and motioned for Skypaw to join them. The she-cat's ears pricked forward happily as she sauntered over to the young warriors.

Sparrowstar placed the fish on the pile, and no later had it hit, then Scalespaw grabbed it, heading for the nursery, where Thundercloud waited with her two new kits, Bubblekit and Riverkit.

Shykit, Dawnkit, Sandkit, and the unknown kit Frostclaw had found during his patrol were playing outside. Bluefur also sat outside, trying to coax his name out of the young kit. "If you tell me your name," she mewed, "then I wouldn't call you just 'kit' anymore. I could call you Darkkit, because of your dark brown fur; Stripekit, because of your tabby stripes; Whitekit, because of the white patch on your throat. Your warrior name would be Whitethroat."

The kit blinked at her. "My name is none of those. I do have a real name, but it is not any of those." The kit said in a squeaky voice.

Bluefur's whiskers twitched in surprise at the sudden voice of the kit that had been silent for so long. "Then what is your name?"

"Lostkit. My name is Lostkit. My mom says that since I look exactly like my father, I should be named like him too."

Bluefur cried out to her leader. "Sparrowstar, do you know any cat by the name of 'Lost,' or 'Lost-something?'

He shook his head. 'What kind of a name is Lost?' he asked himself.

Sparrowstar's train of thought was broken by a cry from Orangespots. "SwiftClan!" she yowled, "SwiftClan is attacking!"

All cats in camp sat up. Some helped the queens, Featherfur, and the many kits to the hidden leader's den under Rockhill.

The first cat that broke through the barrier of reeds was Wolfstar. A snarl appeared on her face when she saw that Sparrowstar waited for her.

The hate filled words first out of Sparrowstar's mouth made the white leader pause. "What damage can your scrawny, weak, _SwiftClan_ cats do to my well-fed, strong _WaterClan _warriors?"

Wolfstar was speechless as the cats around her battled, screeching and snarling. "You think you're so great," she hissed, eyes narrowing to slits, "_I _will show you that it is not so."

She launched herself at Sparrowstar, and when they collided, both went rolling, knocking into Dovewhisper and Honeyclaw. Sparrowstar was on the bottom, but he didn't rake his hind claws down Wolfstar's belly like she expected. Instead he craned his neck, and bit down on her right front paw, hard. She screeched in pain and jumped off, only to be tackled by Sparrowstar.

Cougarpelt and Greenheart fared well against the more experienced warriors. They joined Rainstrike in chasing a yowling Blackfur out of camp. Jaygaze and Whitefrost saw this, and blocked their paths once Blackfur escaped.

After what had seemed like hours, the SwiftClan cats fled, defeated, but the WaterClan cats did not. They were protecting their home, family, and kits, and would do anything for them.

A break appeared in the fighting cats. Wolfstar, long broken away from Sparrowstar, stood over a struggling Adderfur. He clawed her belly, but she didn't notice.

Sparrowstar broke away from Tigerflash, and watched Wolfstar's next move. With a cold gleam in her eye, she brought down her razor sharp claws on Adderfur's throat, ripping the tender flesh. A gurgling sound came up his throat with a fountain of blood. A _mrrow _of laughter escaped from Wolfstar's open mouth as she pushed his limp body away.

"No!" Sparrowstar screeched, leaping at Wolfstar, claws unsheathed and fangs bared. He slashed at her, leaving countless scratches and gashes. He only stopped after she ran away from the stupor she was in when she lost a life.

No resistance remained in the camp. Sparrowstar climbed to the top of Rockhill, still fuming over the death of Adderfur. "The battle is over! SwiftClan has run home like mice, with their tails between their legs. If anyone is hurt, go see either Brindlefur or Silentflower, and they will treat you. Are there anymore losses other than that of Adderfur?"

"No." Poppyheart replied, then ushered Eagleswoop to Silentflower for an ear that was badly torn. Emberstorm was already there, sporting a split nose.

"Wait!" cried Jadeheart. "Where's Stonekit? He wasn't in your den, Sparrowstar. He probably thought that since he was going to be an apprentice soon, he could fight, too. Oh, please find my son!"

The other kits tumbled out from Sparrowstar's den. "No!" Fawnkit mewed. "He didn't fight. H was thirsty, so he said that he was going to the river for a small drink. H e promised that he'd be right back, Jadeheart."

"Search the territory." Sparrowstar demanded. "If you are only hurt, then you will aid in our search for him. Remember, Stonekit is a light gray tom, so he might blend in with the mist by the river."

Cats scrambled to their feet, and Hollowpool quickly separated them into patrols. Although she wanted to help in the search, she couldn't because Icewhisker had made a large gash down her side.

As each patrol left, she whispered "Good luck." To the one leading it. When they had all left, Hollowpool hobbled over to Brindlefur to get her wound checked.

No so much later, the patrols returned, one by one. "Any luck?" Hollowpool called from a nest of reeds in the medicine den.

"No," Sparrowstar replied, on the Rockhill once more. "Stonekit has not been found." He had to pause to allow a large sob from Jadeheart. "We must hold a vigil for both cats tonight. Adderfur was a loyal and brave warrior, and I'm sure Stonekit would have made WaterClan proud. Both deserve proper vigils, because they had died a warriors' battle death."

**SwiftClan – **Sheepfoot was guarding the camp and worried thoughts kept passing through her mind when the attacking patrol sent out a long time ago didn't return. 'What if they had gotten hurt?' 'What if they don't return?' 'What if Sparrowstar had kept Wolfstar in their – ' her thoughts froze as she heard a moor bush shake nearby.

She unsheathed her claws as the sound of footsteps grew closer, and bared her teeth when a shape appeared in the mist that accumulated from the stream that ran through the territory close to camp.

As it grew closer, the cat said, "Sheepfoot, stand down. It is only I, Wolfstar, and my attacking party." Sheepfoot calmed down as the familiar leader became visible. "I have something to do, follow me." Wolfstar added as she padded down the slope into camp.

"All cats old enough to chase and catch a running rabbit, join beneath me at Smoothrock for a Clan meeting." Wolfstar yowled from atop the large boulder in the middle of camp.

"SwiftClan cats have fought well in the raid against WaterClan!" Wolfstar cried to the gathered cats, "and three apprentices have fought like true warriors. I feel that, after today, Horsepaw, Featherpaw, and Ashpaw deserve their warrior names.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you in their turn."

The tree apprentices stood on Smoothrock with Wolfstar, eyes shining bright in the sun that had managed to break through the mist. "Featherpaw, Ashpaw, and Horsepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." All three apprentices replied back to their leader proudly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Ashpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Ashstorm. StarClan honors your love of fighting and courage.

"Featherpaw, from his moment ion, you will be known as Featherstep. StarClan honors your friendliness and kindness.

"Horsepaw, from this moment on, you will be named Horsepelt. StarClan honors your caution and speed."

All three new warriors licked Wolfstar's shoulder respectfully as the Clan shouted, "Featherstep! Ashstorm! Horsepelt! Featherstep! Ashstorm! Horsepelt!"

Wolfstar raised her tail for silence. "I would have made these kits apprentices much earlier today, but they were too young to be of much help in battle. I am sorry, but being made apprentices now will surely make up for it. My attacking party had also found a kit when we were returning home. He is about apprentice age, so he will become an apprentice with them and learn how to be a SwiftClan warrior."

With a flick of her tail tip, Icekit, Poppykit, Firekit, and Rabbitkit rushed up. Lightningstrike brought the other kit, a light gray tom, up to Smoothrock.

"From this moment on," Wolfstar yowled to the assembled cats, "these kits will be apprentices. May they learn the warrior code, and become loyal SwiftClan warriors. Firekit, you will be known as Firepaw, and your mentor will be Whitefrost. Icekit, you will be known as Icepaw, and your mentor will be Flowerstem. Rabbitkit, you will now be known as Rabbitpaw, and your mentor will be Icewhisker. Poppykit, your new name will be Poppypaw, and your mentor will be Addertail. New kit, your name will be Fogpaw, and you will be mentored by Tigerflash." Wolfstar decided, then watched as each new apprentice jumped down from Smoothrock to touch noses with their mentors.

"Firepaw! Poppypaw! Rabbitpaw! Icepaw! Fogpaw!" all the SwiftClan cats chanted.

Starheart stepped onto Smoothrock when they had become quiet once more. "As you all may know, I won't live forever. That is why I have decided to take an apprentice. She will learn everything there is to learn about being a medicine cat, so that when I die, she will take care of you well, and receive signs from StarClan. Patchkit, now Patchpaw, will be my apprentice. I will introduce her to her warrior ancestors tonight at half moon in Spiritcave."

Patchpaw dashed over to Starheart, and touched noses with her new mentor.

With the commotion over, Wolfstar again took her spot on Smoothrock. "SwiftClan has fought well tonight against WaterClan, as I had said before. WaterClan has lost one of its own, but it is a small price to pay for their past misdeeds, and suspicion of crossing the border." The SwiftClan cats dispersed after Wolfstar signaled she was done with a twitch of her whiskers.

She jumped down, and found Wetpelt walking to the warriors' den. "Wetpelt, do it again tonight, and don't get caught." She mewed quietly, and headed for her own den, pretending that nothing had just happened between her and Wetpelt.

**MoonClan – **Shimmerstrike burst out of the medicine den, fire blazing in her eyes. "Why hadn't anyone told me that there was a battle?" she yowled. "I was stuck inside that den for too long. My paw is fine! I can fight, right Birdflight?"

"Yes, you can." Birdflight meowed as she exited her den, "but if you get hurt, I want you back here straight away. I _mean_ it."

Shimmerstrike let out a mew of happiness. "Anyone coming with me?" she asked excitedly.

Dawnshadow looked away, but Flamestorm stood up and padded to Shimmerstrike's side. Brambleslash followed Flamestorm to Shimmerstrike.

"Good." Shimmerstrike purred. "You, you are also coming with us." She mewed to a dark ginger tabby tom. He nodded, and followed the group out of camp and to the FlameClan border.

Long before they reached the battle, they could hear screeches and snarls. Shimmerstrike made them move faster when a particularly violent one erupted from a cat that sounded like Gingertail.

When they reached the fighting, the tom dove right in, clawing and slashing at anyone in his reach. He stumbled over a black apprentice when he was chasing after Dewtail.

"Bloodpaw!" the apprentice, Bramblepaw, cried.

"Do you _know_ her?" Eclipsedmoon asked icily while helping his apprentice, Talonpaw, fight both Bristleclaw and Fawnpaw.

'A little too well.' He thought uneasily to himself.

"It's Bloodclaw now!" he snarled as he leapt at the young she-cat. Bramblepaw's look of joy turned into one of horror.

Bloodclaw gently flipped her over, and smothered her attacks to hurt him. "Hush," he whispered, so close that he was touching her ear. She stopped struggling against him after those words broke through her veil of fighting. "I only did that because we are not supposed to love each other. I still love you, but it would ruin both of us if someone finds out. I will not hurt you, go fight another cat, and meet me tonight at the same place at moonhigh."

Bramblepaw squirmed out from underneath him when he finished his little speech. She hissed and batted at his ears ferociously, but Bloodclaw knew that she was only acting. Her small smile and sheathed claws gave her away.

Shadestalker batted at Flowerstripe, Jumpfoot, and Shadowmist single-pawed while muttering under her breath.

"What are you muttering about?" Flamestorm asked, bringing Brambleslash to help out.

"I better get taken off apprentice duties – " he paused to send Jumpfoot running away with a good scratch down his face, "after this." Shadestalker continued, "I'm getting _really_ tired of Onetail."

"Hold it!" yowled Birchstar. All cats stopped fighting, and rushed to their side of the border, tails lashing furiously.

"Why are we fighting?" she asked Ashstar coldly, ears laid back and claws gouging deep furrows into the soft earth.

The dark gray leader stepped forward. "My MoonClan cats found these apprentices by the border, and _that_ one," she pointed at Tanglepaw with her tail, "stepped over the border. They were also disgracing my Clan by calling it _ShadowClan._"

Many cast gasped. Yes, the Clans-of-Long-Ago were important, but they were also the Clans who had technically kicked out the present Clans.

"That was wrong of my apprentices, and they will be punished, but was it really necessary to start a fight this big? The apprentices were probably playing that they were the Clans-of-Long-Ago; you know how apprentices are. I'm not surprised Tanglepaw steeped over the border, either. He should have been named Clumsypaw by the way he stumbles around." Birchstar mewed, anger still prominent in her voice.

Ashstar's fur began to lay flat again, but her eyes never lost the fire for battle. "You're… right, Birchstar." She said grittily, as if still refusing that she was wrong. "But make sure that they don't cross it again, or I will personally rip their fur off, hair by hair." She viciously added, turning around and stalking towards camp, her cats following her.

"Post guards by the border." She told Shadebrook, who nodded. "And make sure that they use their MoonClan only training of staying still and silent. If _any_ FlameClan cat crosses the border, they will come directly to me, and I _will_ rip the trespassers fur off."

"Stormheart and Dovewing, you have the first watch." Shadebrook said to the cats, "You heard Ashstar. Come back immediately if there is _any_ disturbance."

Both cats nodded, then about faced, slinking quietly towards the FlameClan border.

**Brindlefur and Silentflower – **"I just hope StarClan will tell me something of SwiftClan's open attack, or where Stonekit went to, like I told my brother I'd find." Brindlefur fretted as she and Silentflower quickly made their way to Spiritcave.

"Sparrowstar won't be disappointed if they tell you nothing. StarClan will reveal what StarClan will reveal." Silentflower mewed wisely.

They made their way through the territory swimming across many streams. Soon they were at the SwiftClan border, and Brindlefur crossed it without a second thought. Silentflower, however, paused. Through the darkness was a dark ginger pelt, one that she knew.

"Brindlefur, its Wetpelt." She whispered to her mentor.

Brindlefur stopped, then looked at where Silentflower was pointing with her tail. Brindlefur knew Wetpelt very well, because when he was a kit, he was brought to her for healing. Tornsong was gravely ill, and Starheart was just a kit in the nursery, so the SwiftClan cats relied on their closest neighbors for help for the abandoned kit. He was brought to her in a rainstorm, and he was all wet, so Brindlefur dubbed him Wetkit, and it just stuck.

"Wetpelt!" Brindlefur cried, "You are a mouselegnth from crossing the border. If you do, Sparrowstar will have your pelt!"

Wetpelt, startled, dropped the boulder he was rolling, and it rolled down to the only steam that ran through SwiftClan territory.

"Brindlefur, Silentflower." He greeted with a respectful dip of his head, "It was not my intention of crossing the border, and I was just rolling boulders away from the stream to widen its flow. Viperbelly is complaining that it will be a hot greenleaf, so we need all the water we can get."

"Carry on, Wetpelt." Brindlefur mewed, and started walking again, Silentflower wearily following.

"If he was telling the truth," Silentflower mewed quietly, "then I'm a trout! He was rolling the boulder _towards_ the stream, not away from it."

"I know, Silentflower, but one must not dawdle in the insignificant cats in another Clan."

Just then, the Spiritcave came into view. It looked like any other cave on the outside, but its importance to StarClan was clearly explained once one got inside. A group of cats were silhouetted against its light gray stone.

"Good." Birdflight mewed once Brindlefur and Silentflower came to them. "We are all here." She turned and entered the dark mouth of the cave. A young cat that Silentflower had not seen before gasped in wonder at the cave.

Silentflower look around. There were a many holes in the roof of the cave, letting in the white moonlight. A larger hole made a crescent moon shape on the floor, and the thousands of littler holes made stars that surrounded the moon.

"Let it begin." Rushfoot meowed, taking her place by one of the crystal shafts on the floor.

"It will begin after I introduce Patchpaw to her warrior ancestors." Starheart corrected. The moonlight grew brighter at her words, making the thousands of 'stars' illuminate even more.

The medicine cats continue din the way that they had for many seasons, and StarClan knew that it was not them trying to bring demise to the Clans.

**A/N: You like? Then review, please.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, I have good news and bad news, but first of all, I want to say sorry for not having this out sooner. I have softball (which is where I was this morning. On the weekends I don't sleep late like any normal teenager. Lol), and I go to a special school, a.k.a. a vocational school. Okay, bad news first: this chapter is a little short. Good news: it has two views of each Clan. Thanks for having patience and enjoy! **

**MoonClan - **Today was the day of the Gathering, and all the jobs that had needed to be done were finished. The apprentices had all come back with large amounts of prey, each hoping to be chosen. Ashstar had the list of cats going already, but she wanted to wait until later to give the names out.

"Ashstar," Daypaw mewed quietly as she entered Ashstar's den. "I caught this frog for you."

The leader looked at the black apprentice. "Thank you, Daypaw. I will eat this after I announce the cats who will go with me to the Gathering."

Daypaw bowed her head respectfully, but Ashstar could see the young apprentice's whiskers twitching in excitement.

"Cats of MoonClan!" Ashstar yowled to the cats. "I have decided who will go with me to the Gathering."

Ashstar paused, her green eyes scanning the clearing carefully. "The ones who are going are myself, Shadebrook, Birdflight, Flamestorm, Brambleslash, Bloodclaw, Talonpaw, Pinewhisker, Clawpaw, and… Mudpaw. That is all."

The gray she-cat turned around to the black apprentice who had been waiting patiently for her name to be called. "Thank you for the lovely frog, Daypaw." She said, a smile playing on the edge of her lips.

Daypaw stalked off, ears flattened in anger. Ashstar let loose a _mrrow _of quiet laughter as she lowered her head and bit into the juicy frog.

**FlameClan – **Birchstar stood on top of Skymound, watching her Clan's daily work. Flowerstripe was talking to Icetail, completely unaware that Firekit was stalking her flicking pale orange tail tip.

Just as he was about to pounce, Flowerstripe turned around quickly. She pinned him down gently between her paws, and he let out a startled mew.

"Don't stalk my tail," Flowerstripe whispered, fake seriousness in her voice, "but if you want to stalk tails, go get Darkkit and find Dewtail. I heard he likes his tail being stalked, that's why his name is Dew_tail_." Flowerstripe let the kit go, and as he scampered off with Darkkit to find Dewtail, Birchstar decided it was time to bring her cats to attention.

"FlameClan!" she yowled, and soon all of the cats appeared. "I have decided who will go to the Gathering. Don't be upset if you aren't chosen, because I have a feeling that Ashstar would attack on such a sacred night. If you are not chosen, then you have been chosen to defend your camp, your Clan, and your Clanmates lives." A few cats nodded good-naturedly at her words, but some apprentices' whiskers had already drooped. They seemed to feel that they wouldn't be chosen at all.

"We will also take strong warriors to the Gathering, too, so that FlameClan is not seen as weak. Those who will join me at Large Maple in the former CloudClan territory are as follows: myself, Shadowmist, Rushfoot, Lilypaw, Flowerstripe, Clumsyfoot, Riverheart, Hollowclaw, Jumpfoot, Bramblepaw, Fawnpaw, and Tanglepaw."

The called apprentices leapt to their feet, and the older apprentices started talking about the previous Gatherings, younger apprentices listening intently. Ones who were not called, however, sighed and padded off.

Birchstar ran through the cats going to the Gathering in her head, then the cats who were not going. She purred, feeling that if Ashstar decided on revenge in any way, her groups would be ready for it.

**WaterClan – **Sparrowstar stood in the midst of the group he had summoned for the gathering. He stood alone, however, not talking to anyone. Instead he was wondering on how to bring up that Adderfur was brutally murdered by Wolfstar. He was angry at his Clanmate's murder, and wanted to get back at the huge she-cat for doing it.

Hollowpool stood talking to Brindlefur and Silentflower on Wetpelt's behavior a quarter moon ago. The Clan deputy had suspicion for the ginger SwiftClan warrior. She was also angry that he had been so close to the border, and had apparently lied about why he was there. Her tail swished angrily on the ground as Brindlefur slowly talked, Silentflower adding in often.

Orangespots sat next to Poppyheart, talking about prey preferences. Poppyheart could find nothing better than a good fish, but Orangespots kept saying that a rabbit was _almost_ as good.

Emberstorm stood with Owlleave and Reedstripes, talking about apprentices, and warrior ceremonies. Owlleave was really excited that his first apprentice was going to the Gathering so soon.

Wildpaw and Bramblepaw tried calming Rainpaw, Skypaw, and Pantherpaw down, but the three apprentices refused to calm down, and bounced around the older apprentices. Cougarpelt and Greenheart laid their tails on the new apprentices' backs. They had a calm exterior, but their eyes gave them away. It was their first real Gathering as warriors.

Sparrowstar nodded to the Gathering cats, his mind fully made up. He told them to get some sleep as they broke up, heading for their respective dens.

"Jadeheart!" Jumpkit whined. "Why can't I go to the gathering? I'll be an apprentice really soon!"

Jadeheart sighed sadly. "Jumpkit, you sound just like Stonekit, when you whine like that."

Jumpkit also sighed, but in impatience his time, not sadness. "That's why I'm doing this! My dream says I can bring him back. I bet you could bring him back if you act like him."

Jadeheart spun around. "Dream?" she mewed anxiously. "What dream?"

The dark brown tom kit looked at his mother incredulously. "Littlestar came to me and said 'what you seek is not lost. Fog forgot its true form and one may bring the stone back.'"

Fawnkit took this silence as a cue to jump on her brother's back. Jumpkit squealed as Emeraldkit joined in the mosh, pinning Jumpkit down with the help of Fawnkit.

'Kits' Jadeheart thought as she sat down, watching her kin wrestle.

"One may bring the stone back." She whispered quietly, and wrapped her tail around her paws.

**SwiftClan – **"Wolfstar, may Fogpaw go to the Gathering tonight? He has learned many SwiftClan ways, and catches as much prey as the other apprentices, even though he isn't nearly as fast." Tigerflash asked his leader.

"No." she mewed sharply. "He was found only a quarter moon ago, and the other _true_ SwiftClan apprentices deserve to go to the Gathering more than the cat with the filthy _Wa-,_ unknown blood in him."

Tigerflash gave a strained nod, and anger reigned free in his body. It would be so simple just to… no, that wouldn't work, she had more live to spare. "Will you announce the cats going, then?" he asked instead.

She got up and padded out of her den in response. "Listen closely!" she demanded her cats. "I, Tigerflash, Starheart, Patchpaw, Jaygaze, Whitefrost, Featherstep, Lilywhisker, Dovewhisper, Ashstorm, Firepaw, Icepaw, and Runningpaw will be going to the Gathering."

Fogpaw's face fell, his whiskers drooped, and his ears dropped further and further, as his name was not said. Once Wolfstar stopped speaking, his head fell completely. He had been exited to go to the Gathering, for a reason unknown to him. All that he did know was that something, no _someone_, was there. He remembered nothing of his life in SwiftClan, except for being dropped while being carried. His family was probably killed in the great battle between SwiftClan and the untrustworthy WaterClan cats. He was made an apprentice most likely because he had nobody to take care of him in the nursery, and he was so close to being 6 moons.

"Happy?" Wolfstar acidly asked Tigerflash, who averted his gaze. When he leaped down from her den, he bared his teeth and snarled quietly.

Fogpaw sat by himself, and Tigerflash, being the concerned mentor, went over to console the young cat. When he approached, however, Fogpaw jumped, and twisted around to face his 'attacker.'

"Why so jumpy?" Tigerflash mewed jokingly.

"Jumpy? I'm not jump… Jump, Jumpkit!" Fogpaw mewed suddenly and streaked off, showing the SwiftClan speed he didn't inherit, startling Tigerflash. He ran off to the stream, the only place where he ever felt really calm. The stream became lower with every passing day, and Fogpaw didn't know how to save his only tie with sanity.

MoonClan – Ashstar and her group approached the Gathering clearing swiftly and, like always, they were the first cats there.

She jumped into the Large Maple, and sat in the crook of two very large branches. The shadows in the tree from its newleaf leaves made it impossible to see the dark gray leader, except for the occasional glint of her green eyes.

Following her example, the cats like her, with darker pelts, melted into the shadows. Others, like Bloodclaw, stayed in the open, for they would be easily spotted, MoonClan training or no MoonClan training.

Ashstar's claws unsheathed on their own and the light of the full moon broke through the leaves and glinted on them. She eagerly dug her claws into the soft maple wood, gouging deep furrows.

She smiled evilly to herself. 'If the FlameClan cats show up first,' she thought, 'then my cats will attack without warning. But if not… well, I guess we could wait another day.

Many pawsteps echoed on the paths that were made from the thousands of cats traveling to the thousands of Gatherings every moon. Shadebrook materialized from the shadows at the base of large Maple, and stood dignified at the deputy's place. Ashstar could hear the anxious MoonClan cats awaiting the arrival of the other Clans.

**WaterClan – **"MoonClan is here." Hollowpool said, wrinkling her nose.

""They always are here first, Hollowpool." Sparrowstar mewed. "You should be used to their scent reeking up Gathering place by now." He finished his dialogue with Hollowpool, and flicked his tail. The many WaterClan cats took the signal, and rushed directly into the clearing.

Upon seeing his warriors, MoonClan cats appeared literally from nowhere.

"Ashstar," Sparrowstar greeted the ashen gray leader as he jumped onto the Large Maple. He took his usual spot superciliously.

She greeted him with a slight dip of her head, barely noticeable if you weren't looking for it. Sparrowstar took this as an acceptable greeting from the unsocial leader. Slowly he looked around the clearing.

Rainpaw, Skypaw, and Pantherpaw eagerly talked to Mudpaw, Talonpaw, and Clawpaw. Owlleave passed nonchalantly by and muttered a word that made Sparrowstar smile. "Nothing." He could remember the time that Redstripe, his mentor, muttered that to him at his first Gathering. That one word told the apprentice not to say anything about his or her Clan about things that could be used against it.

Wildpaw and Bramblepaw sat together, tails twined, in the middle of the clearing, listening to all conversations around them.

The stench of FlameClan hit Sparrowstar's scent glands, and he saw Ashstar wrinkle her nose like he did. The only difference between their expressions was a fiery passion of hate burning hotly in her eyes.

The FlameClan cats padded slowly into the clearing, mingling in quickly with the other cats. Wildpaw left Bramblepaw and became lost in the new throng of cats. She appeared slightly later, however, purring and rubbing up against a dark brown FlameClan tom. The tom purred and greeted her just as warmly, while Bramblepaw searched fruitlessly for his friend, but he was looking in the wrong direction.

Bramblepaw finally gave up, and started talking to the brown tom that Wildpaw was talking to, Tanglepaw, and soon the she-cat came back. She eyed Tanglepaw warmly, and then went back to talking to Bramblepaw.

Sparrowstar looked incredulously at the apprentice, being so brazen about a love in another Clan! Birchstar came padding into the clearing, greeting all cats. Sparrowstar dipped his head slightly, and she padded closer to the Large Maple.

**FlameClan – **As her Clan entered the clearing, Birchstar saw the MoonClan and WaterClan warriors milling around, talking to each other. She saw Sparrowstar dip his head in greeting, and also the look of death from Ashstar.

Birchstar took a running leap, and landed in the Large Maple. Ignoring the angry look from Ashstar, Birchstar asked a question.

"Are we waiting for Wolfstar and her SwiftClan cats, _again_?" she asked, tail tip slightly twitching in annoyance.

Sparrowstar let out a small _mrrow_ of laughter, and Ashstar's lips twitched, even though she was mad at the FlameClan leader. The gray she-cat gave a small, terse nod though, after her small laughing mood was over. A quick glance away from the other leaders and at the clearing told her that all her cats were there, and unharmed. Flowerstripe and Riverheart conversationally mewed about how prey was running to Brambleslash, Flamestorm and Poppyheart, although tightness was visible in all of their voices.

Cougarpelt and Greenheart joined Bloodclaw and Pinewhisker on how it felt to be a new warrior. They also consoled Fawnpaw, about how she'd be a warrior soon, and that her training was doing fine.

All was fine in the pre-gathering. Well, except for the angry stare Ashstar was focusing on Birchstar. She could feel the green eyes burning a hole through her pelt. Quickly, Birchstar looked at the full moon. It was still shining bright, with no traces of clouds around it. The truce still held for tonight, and even if Ashstar was planning anything, StarClan would definitely tell her.

StarClan was protecting the FlameClan cats, Birchstar thought as she passed it off and waited calmly for the SwiftClan cats to come.

**SwiftClan – **Wolfstar waited on the edge of the clearing unseen. Finally, Birchstar moved onto her own branch and Wolfstar dashed for the Large Maple, her cats following her. Her speed gave her the extra boost, and Wolfstar jumped early. Her SwiftClan running speed gave her the distance, and she landed in the Large Maple perfectly, not a hair ruffled.

The leaders dipped their heads in greeting, as was customary. All but Sparrowstar, who just narrowed his eyes coldly. As Wolfstar mirrored his cold gesture, she thought 'He still must be mad at me for killing his Clanmate.'

She glanced around at her cats. They quickly found others to talk to, trying to find out information about the other Clans before the leaders called attention. That was the only bad thing about arriving last, most of the time.

Featherstep and Ashstorm talked to Hollowclaw, Jumpfoot, Windtail, and Orangespots with an air of authority around them. Ashstorm turned towards Clawpaw, who was about to join them, and the look in his eyes scared the young apprentice off. Satisfied, he turned back to the older warriors conversation.

The medicine cats all gathered in the center of the clearing, comparing and contrasting herbs and where to find them. Rushfoot, clearly bored with this conversation, joined Silentflower and Lilypaw in theirs about birthing kits. She offered advice every once in a while, but mostly listened on how her apprentice knew on the subject.

Wolfstar waited for a few more heartbeats, then stood up on her branch and yowled, "Let the full moon Gathering begin!"

**A/N: Okay, next chapter is the actual Gathering and the aftermath. **

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	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I'm posting this now, so I don't have to worry about doing anything this weekend, while I'm at a wedding. I thank Serpent's Ballet for being my only reviewer the past couple of chapters. Come on people, it wouldn't kill you to review! Anyway, here's the story. Gathering – All the cats within the clearing stopped talking about their various subjects. Slowly they padded into groups, forming four Clan groups. Tigerflash and Hollowpool joined Shadebrook and Shadowmist at the base of the Large Maple, where the deputies always endured the Gatherings.

Only Pantherpaw and Fawnpaw were not in their respected groups. They sat together in the middle, not really paying attention. A low hiss from Owlleave brought the world back to Pantherpaw, though. His ears perked up, but flattened in embarrassment as he saw that only he and Fawnpaw remained. He slunk to his own group, but Fawnpaw took a different approach. Glaring defiantly, she proudly walked to the FlameClan cats with her tail held high.

"Now," Sparrowstar began, "Now is the time of the full moon, when cats of all Clans come together to discuss and share their lives and the events within them. We have been holding a Gathering since the time of the Clans-of-Long-Ago, and they too, before we left. I have no doubt that the cats of ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and SkyClan, are holding a Gathering at this moment, whoever and wherever they are." Sparrowstar bowed his head, and stepped back on his branch, the branch upon which all of the previous WaterClan leaders told their Clan life in the past.

"SwiftClan will begin this Gathering!" Wolfstar announced to the groups, earning a few joyous mews from her own.

"SwiftClan has grown very strong in the past moon. We have three new warriors. Horsefur, Ashstorm, and Featherstep have all proved themselves worthy of their new title. We also have _eight_ new apprentices. All are able and excellent hunters and fighters. Firepaw, Rabbitpaw, Poppypaw, Icepaw, Whitepaw, Tigerpaw and Fogpaw are new warrior apprentices, and Patchpaw is our new medicine cat apprentice."

All the mentioned cats that were present stood up, and all except the WaterClan cats chanted their names.

"Featherdapple and Ivygaze have rejoined the warriors, making us stronger than ever before. The rabbits run well in early newleaf, and that is all my Clan has to share." Wolfstar finished, stepping back on the SwiftClan branch.

Ashstar stepped forward then, muscles taut under her ashy gray fur. "MoonClan is well!" she yowled to the four groups. "We also have three new warriors, who are Bloodclaw, Pinewhisker, and Windtail. They have earned their title, although Pinewhisker and Windtail a little earlier than Bloodclaw." The new warriors stood up proudly, eyes alight with joy, and tails upraised.

When the calling died down, Ashstar began again. "Our two newest apprentices, Clawpaw and Talonpaw, are doing well in their training. Shadebrook, our deputy and their mother, has returned to her duties, and is also doing well."

Shadebrook looked on at her sons proudly, but another emotion was plainly seen in her eyes. Anticipation of how they would bring glory to their Clan, or be leaders someday, perhaps.

"The prey is running well, and, other than a few small border scuffles with FlameClan, we have been peaceful. Shadowpelt will have her kits very soon, adding more cats to our Clan. Birdflight suspects two healthy kits are coming in a couple of sunhighs." Ashstar yowled and also stepped back. Her bright green eyes dared Birchstar to elaborate on the small scuffles between their two Clans.

Sparrowstar, viewing the silent stare down, stepped forward once he saw that Birchstar had no intention of sharing anytime soon.

"My Clan, WaterClan, is doing even better than ever before! The fish are swimming freely in the river, and the river is free of any twoleg garbage. This newleaf has been treating us well, and is giving us a chance to recuperate after such a harsh leafbare." Sparrowstar told everyone loudly.

"Cougarpelt and Greenheart have joined us as warriors after doing extremely well in their assessments. Rosepetal has rejoined the warriors, and her three kits, Pantherpaw, Skypaw, and Rainpaw follow her in their warrior skills. Thundercloud has given birth to two kits, Riverkit and Bubblekit. Sandkit is being taken care of by Bluefur, as Emberheart was taken by twolegs."

The whole cat population in the clearing gasped as they heard this interesting new. Sparrowstar raised his tail for silence, and they all complied, wanting to hear more of this subject.

"Don't think of this as a weakness!" Sparrowstar demanded once all the commotion died off. "Yes, we have lost a wonderful queen and a strong warrior, but her mate, Frostclaw, fights twice as hard for Emberheart. Also, a kit was lost. He is a light gray tom close to apprentice age, named Stonekit. If you have seen him, please return him to WaterClan, as his mother, Jadeheart, misses him dearly."

Sparrowstar paused, letting his gaze wash over the four groups. When he saw the SwiftClan group, the apprentices fidgeted ever so slightly.

Tasking note of this, Sparrowstar continued. "SwiftClan has gotten more brazen in the past moon. A quarter moon ago, they had the nerve to raid our camp." More gasps came from the crowd. "They were forced to retreat, though, as my warriors fought bravely against them. However, the consequence of injured warriors, as always expected with every battle, made Silentflower and Brindlefur work harder than before. It has lead me to conclude that the SwiftClan warriors were looking to injure, but were defeated anyway.

I don't expect SwiftClan to have the nerve to raid our camp again, unless they wish to be beaten as badly as they had been during that battle." Sparrowstar yowled, gaining the flicking tails and narrowed eyes, as he wanted.

Wolfstar, however, dug her claws deep into the SwiftClan branch to restrain herself from leaping at the brown WaterClan leader. Sparrowstar flicked his ears mockingly, silently taunting the large whit leader. He took advantage of the fact that tonight was the full moon, and she wouldn't attack during the truce, no matter how many cats she killed.

Birchstar stepped forward. Her light brown fur laid flat on her body. She was relived that her Clan wasn't the worst off, what with a dead warrior and a few border scuffles. Wolfstar was also relieved when Sparrowstar stepped back. Her murder would go unnoticed by the other Clans.

"FlameClan has done well the past moon! The prey is starting to run once more, and our bellies are full. Nothing much has happened with apprentices moving to be warriors, or kits to apprentices.

"A brave she-cat warrior has been killed. We have no clue on who did it, cut when the murderer is found, they will be severely punished, no matter what Clan they are in."

Birchstar looked around the clearing to emphasize her words. No cat flinched, as she expected, just looked calmly up at her.

She shook her fur reassuringly, and then looked at the other leaders. Sparrowstar gazed calmly back at her, Ashstar was still threatening her silently, and Wolfstar still looked ready to leap at Sparrowstar.

"Our 'small border scuffles,' as Ashstar has described them, have been told very wrong. Ashstar and a very large fighting force had attacked a small group of apprentices that were playing a game. She claimed that they crossed the border, but no new FlameClan scent was found. The only cats that crossed the border were MoonClan, and that was to attack my apprentices."

Ashstar let out a low hiss of warning. "Fine. They didn't exactly _cross_ the border, but they were a few pawsteps from doing so. Anyway, they insulted us by calling us ShadowClan!"

All the cats in the clearing looked surprisingly up at Ashstar. She had already had her turn speaking, and interrupted another leader. Birchstar spun around and hissed at the gray she-cat.

"Was that any reason to attack, though?" Birchstar spat, unsheathing long and hooked claws.

"The truce." Sparrowstar reminded the she-cats quietly as he looked up to the sky. Birchstar's fur lied flat on her body, but her claws still stayed unsheathed.

"That is all." She mewed, anger still prominent in her voice."

"Then this Gathering is over!" Wolfstar meowed hurriedly, going to jump off of the SwiftClan branch.

"Wait!" Sparrowstar yowled. Wolfstar froze; she thought that he wasn't going to address her murder.

"I have something of such importance that it could wait until the end of the Gathering." All cats stared up at him, curiosity ablaze in their eyes of various colors.

"During the battle where SwiftClan raided our camp, a cat was purposely killed. Adderfur was brutally murdered by Wolfstar, who killed him by slashing his throat. I took one life of Wolfstar's for this in return. Her one life didn't matter much, though. Wolfstar had more lives to spare, while Adderfur only had one!" Sparrowstar yowled angrily.

All groups but SwiftClan turned to look at the white leader. "He was fighting me," she mewed coldly, "I was fighting in defense. It is not my fault that he got in the path of my claws."

"Lies!" Sparrowstar hissed, digging his claws into the branch and narrowing his eyes.

Birchstar looked from leader to leader. "This Gathering is over!" she ordered, jumping down from the FlameClan branch. She did this to avoid a fight between SwiftClan and WaterClan, both whose leaders were angry beyond measure.

The cats dispersed from their groups, meowing goodbyes to their friends. They went back into their groups afterwards, and padded through their territories. The trails they used were hard, used for so long. Each cat hoped for a peaceful night back at camp.

WaterClan – "Sparrowstar," Splashclaw greeted. "How did it go?"

"Very well, in a way. All clans now know that Wolfstar had killed Adderfur, and how SwiftClan attacked us. Jadeheart?" he called

The queen came forward, her remaining three kits playing at her heels. "Yes, Sparrowstar?"

"All the other Clans now know that Stonekit was lost, and what he looks like. They will return him if they find him." Jadeheart nodded, then ushered her three kits to the nursery to get some much-needed sleep.

"Hollowpool," Sparrowstar meowed. "SwiftClan is up to something. They have something concealed from all of the other Clans. I don't know what they are going to do, but it will be epic."

She nodded, kneading the ground anxiously. "How would you like to find out, Sparrowstar?"

"Don't do anything else yet, we will hear soon of them. They will need water soon." Sparrowstar mewed, curling his tail around his paws.

"Wetpelt was blocking the stream! That's why they don't have enough water!" Hollowpool burst out.

"Let it be." Sparrowstar quieted the she-cat. "They are only bringing about their own demise. Just let it be."

**FlameClan – **Lionjump heard pawsteps in the forest. The gathering patrol would be returning, he must act quickly.

*** 

"Rushfoot! Rushfoot! Rushfoot!" Clumsyfoot shrieked as barreled out of the camp entrance.

"What is it, Clumsyfoot?" Rushfoot asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Brownkit. He just started convulsing!" Rushfoot, after hearing these words, dashed into camp, her medicine cat instincts cutting in. Lilypaw ran after her, trying to help as much as she could. Birchstar, startled, stood there for a second, then went in quickly, while group following.

Brownkit was in the center of the clearing, convulsing, and foam exiting his mouth in waves. Leafsky sat by her son, trying to calm the kit, and yowling loudly.

Around the queen and kit, the whole Clan gathered, wanting to help, but not knowing how.

"Move!" Rushfoot growled as she shouldered her way through the densely packed crowd, bunches of yarrow leaves in her mouth. Lilypaw followed behind, slipping easily through the small spaces between the FlameClan cats, even more yarrow to help her mentor.

Rushfoot sat quickly, and, not hesitating even a fraction of a second, gently but quickly pushed the yarrow down Brownkit's throat.

The little kit heaved, but nothing came out of his shaking body. Rushfoot tried again, but the chewed up yarrow had no avail.

Finally, the kit went still. A small amount of red trickled out of his mouth, and Rushfoot gasped once she realized what it was. Lilypaw held back the struggling Leafsky with her tail until her mentor could be sure that that was what killed the kit.

Rushfoot muttered something incomprehensible, as she motioned for Lilypaw to let Leafsky see her son. "What is it, Rushfoot?" Birchstar, the usually calm leader asked shakily.

"Deathberries." The medicine cat whispered, this time being able to be heard by all. "How Brownkit got them, I don't know. I don't store deathberries, everycat here knows that FlameClan medicine cats don't do that." Lilypaw nodded feverishly by Rushfoot's side, green eyes wide in fear.

"I saw a cat with Brownkit right before he started convulsing. They looked like they were talking, and not playing, like a kit should." Icetail spoke up from somewhere in the back of the crowd.

"Who, Icetail? Who has caused the unnecessary death of an innocent kit by one of the worst ways to die?" Birchstar asked as she spun around violently to face the crowd.

The Clan cats made way for the light gray warrior, so their furious and sad leader could see him. "It was Lionjump." He responded, green eyes intent on studying the floor.

"What?" came the reply from Lionjump. "Those were deathberries? I could have died along with Brownkit?"

"You _did_ do it!" Shadowmist accused.

"I-I- I didn't think that they were really deathberries, or deadly in any way. I saw them outside of camp, and I gave one to Brownkit. I was going to eat one myself, honest! Then he started convulsing, and I totally forgot about the little red berry." Lionjump meowed, fiercely protesting the accusations of his unjust actions.

"Then why was Brownkit running away to play? Or that he started to convulse exactly when the Gathering patrol returned?" Brindlefoot demanded.

Lionjump's fur began to fluff up, his tail sweeping the cold clearing floor in nervousness. "I-I" he stuttered.

Flowerstripe padded dangerously close to Lionjump. "Stop with the act of innocence you lying piece of foxdung. All here in this camp now, they all know that you are guilty of murdering Brownkit. Do you think of how you deprived Leafsky of a son? How about your Clan? Brownkit could have been Brownstar, best leader since Flamestar. How could we know, and you just took it all away! Did you kill Mousepelt too? Tell me, foxdung, tell me now!"

Shadowmist rested her tail on the agitated she-cat's shoulder. Lionjump stopped trying to defend himself. Stripefur and Darkclaw left, but not before giving Lionjump looks of utmost disgust. "No," Rushfoot interceded, trying to calm the situation. "Lionjump didn't kill Mousepelt, because his scent wasn't on her body, anywhere."

"Enough!" Birchstar yowled from her place on top of Skymound. "Lionjump is a murderer and a traitor. Does anyone know the best punishment is for a traitor?"

"Death," Dewtail, Brownkit's father hissed, gaining nods from the cats around him.

"No," Birchstar replied. "Although he does deserve it, I know the best way to deal with a traitor. Lionjump, you will be exiled, and if you are ever seen on our, or any other Clans territory, they will have permission to kill you.

"I, Birchstar, leader of FlameClan, decide with the rest of my Clanmates, that you have done enough to be exiled. We will also tell the other Clans, and if FlameClan finds out that they are harboring you, then we will attack without mercy.

"Now, Lionjump. Be gone, and never return!" Birchstar yowled, so loudly that birds too many to count foxlegnths away took wing in fright. No cloud covered the moon, so StarClan must approve.

Lionjump left the camp through the path that the cats made, tail dragging on the floor. A couple of cats spat at him as he passed, but he showed no emotion to their furious actions.

"Shadowmist, you, Brindlefoot, Riverheart, and Darkpaw will go to SwiftClan, warning them of Lionjump. Flowerstripe, you will lead a patrol of Icetail, Stripefur, and Tanglepaw to WaterClan. I also wish to warn MoonClan of our traitor, even though we aren't on the best of terms right now. Hollowclaw, Dewtail, Jewelpaw, and I will go warn them. Birchstar ordered.

She jumped down from Skymound. To Shadowmist she muttered, "We don't want other Clans to suffer deaths because of our ex-warrior."

The deputy nodded, and all the mentioned cats set off on their patrols, leaving the rest of FlameClan to recover momentarily by itself.

**SwiftClan – **"How did it go? Were there lots of cats? What were some of the problems? Is Sparrowstar _really_ as frightening as Pricklepaw says?" Fogpaw excitedly asked Runningpaw as he entered the camp with the rest of the SwiftClan cats chosen to go to the Gathering.

"Huh? Oh… it's good. Seems WaterClan is worse off than all the Clans right now." Runningpaw replied, momentarily stunned by the young apprentice.

The gray tom sighed with impatience. If only he was old enough to go, or Wolfstar felt he was ready to go. Tigerflash, his mentor, passed by nonchalantly and muttered "Soon."

What could 'soon' mean? Was Tigerflash on his side, trying to get him to a Gathering? Fogpaw felt that his mentor was the best, and that Cinderkit and Seedkit were very lucky to have him as a father.

"Cats of SwiftClan!" Wolfstar yowled to her Clan. "Tonight's Gathering was successful. It has seen that WaterClan has the most problems with their cats. Also, a FlameClan cat was killed, but the murderer is not known. Be on the lookout for any strange cat, cats, or activities. That is all."

After Wolfstar was done addressing her Clan, they broke up to do many things, but mostly to sleep. Starheart, however, was in her storage, counting herbs while Patchpaw slept peacefully in the corner of the den.

"Starheart?" Whiteheart asked tentatively as she poked her head into the medicine den. "Patchpaw was talking about how you needed catmint earlier today, so I got you some while I was on a hunting patrol. It was quite easy, because most cats were at the Gathering."

Sniffing the heavily aromatic leaves, Starheart started to lose her common sense in their drugging scent. "Thank you. We may need this in case greencough breaks out again, since there's a chance it might."

Whiteheart nodded, then ducked out of the den, a small smile on her face because of her great accomplishment. Starheart batted the leaves with her paw, placing them in a small pile, and pushed them into the corner. She then piled all the rest of the herbs in the den, fully counted, and curled up to go to sleep next to her apprentice, worry free.

**MoonClan – **"Now, young apprentices, to be fully accepted into our plot, you must show your loyalty. Once you have done that, you can join us in the quarter moon Gatherings just for cats in this evil plot that will help the Clans." One mentor instructed two apprentices.

"But how will we prove our loyalty to you and your noble cause?" one of the apprentices asked, eyes wide in anticipation.

The other mentor looked his apprentice up and down, skepticism in his eyes. "The answer is veer simple," he hissed. "You must kill."

"Who?" The other apprentice mewed excitedly.

"Yelloweye and Stormheart have been interfering with our plans, without even knowing it. Take them out, and our jobs will be a lot easier. They will be your first prey," was the reply.

The apprentices' eyes narrowed. "Divvy it us amongst yourselves. Only one thing is sure. I expect to see their lifeless bodies by sunhigh, and no trace of who did it." The mentor growled.

"_I_ will take on Stormheart, because he is stronger."

"Fine then. I will take Yelloweye. He is smart enough to defeat me anyway, proving more difficult."

Both apprentices stalked off, claws unsheathed, excited for their first kill, and waiting for the perfect time to do it. One mentor lifted his head, and watched as the two melted into the shadows of the late night.

"If only Ashstar knew what we are telling our apprentices to do, and doing ourselves." One mewed.

"She will find out soon enough, when the prey screeches in horror and pain. All will be drawn to the sight of their lifeless bodies, but there will be no trails to follow to find out who did it." The other finished, moving off in the darkness, taking the path that the apprentices took a few minutes ago.

**Rouges – **"Lionjump?" Crystalclaw asked, surprised at the sudden appearance of the reddish gold FlameClan warrior.

"What are _you _doing here?" Fang hissed.

"Has something gone wrong in your Clan?" Misery asked, getting up from her nest on the floor.

"No," Lionjump responded sadly. "Well, yes, something has gone wrong for me. I tried killing a kit with deathberries, and the kit died a very painful death, but I was caught in the act."

Anger scrutinized the former FlameClan warrior. "And you were exiled?" he asked coldly. Lionjump nodded glumly, oblivious to Anger's harsh tone. "Then we will accept you as a rogue. Although we have lost a valuable source in FlameClan, we have gained a cat that everyone knows is on the rogues side."

"I wish to change my name," Lionjump meowed. Anger dipped his head in approval, waiting to hear Lionjump's new name. "I want to be known as Exile. This is so that everyone is immediately reminded of how I killed the kit, and what I am now!"

The other cats stared at him, digesting the new name. They started whispering his name, becoming louder with each time said. Finally, the chant ended when every cat was yowling 'Exile' at the top of his or her lungs.

"Welcome, Exile. May yo lead a noble life as a rogue." Anger lowly mewed, dipping his head to the new rogue.

"It is my duty to protect and serve my fellow rogues, and it will be my greatest pleasure when we finally conquer the Clans." Lionjump meowed, just as low.

"Well said." Falcon complimented, then rubbed up against Exile, as the others proceeded to do, too.

The rogue 'Clan' was different, but Exile would get used to it, as he would get used to his new name. Seeing as the rogues would soon rule the territories, he smiled evilly.

'This is just too good.' He thought to himself, completely forgetting his recent exile from the Clan he had grown up in.

**A/N: So that is just some things from the books I was able to put in, while still going along with the story. Imagine if Sorreltail died? Or if Bluestar exiled Fireheart? These are a few questioned I answered to myself. Remember to…**

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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'm finally done! I've had so many problems, it's not even funny! Word gave out on me and the computer totally lost all my info! **** But now, I'm on, and I'm getting a new laptop tomorrow! Yay! **  
**StarClan - A** small brown body lay on the mossy bank of a silently moving river. The trees were high and leafy, but moonlight still streamed through.

Slowly the cat stirred, blinking open blue eyes to gaze at the new surroundings in wonder. Bushes near to him rustled, and the kit spun around, fur standing up on end, to face who or whatever it was.

Another kit, this one sandy yellow, stepped forward from the bush. Her faded eyes sparkled in excitement as she padded closer to the new kit.

"Redfire!" she squeaked, "Brownkit is here!" Brownkit watched in awe as a light ginger she-cat also came from behind the bush.

"Welcome, Brownkit. I am Robinkit, Sparrowstar's sister, and this is Redfire, Flowerstripe's mother." Robinkit purred. She sat next to Redfire calmly, but her tail tip twitched in anticipation.

"Why am I here?" Brownkit asked skeptically. He looked from Redfire to Robinkit, and kept getting lost in Robinkit's faded yellow eyes.

"It's simple my dear, you're in StarClan," Redfire meowed, her eyes clouded in pain. "A warrior, Lionjump to be exact, killed you. Lionjump has felt no remorse, and even named himself Exile to be remembered for what he did to you."

Brownkit stood up wildly, mouth agape, and his tiny claws unsheathed. Robinkit padded over, and placed her tail on his shoulders. "It's ok," she whispered. "Although some of us died naturally, some also were killed." Then, she asked a question out loud. "Redfire, can I go show Brownkit around, and some of the kits, too?"

Redfire nodded, then, cocking her head to the side, she sat by the river, paws poised. Seconds later, a shiny fish flew out, and landed next to Robinkit, who promptly bit it. "Take that to Whitestorm for me," Redfire mewed. "I need to catch another one for Yellowfang."

Brownkit grabbed the large fish eagerly, leaving Robinkit free to talk. "There are a lot of cats here, and you'll like it. Many cats are here, and stayed here. If only I…"

"If only you, what?" Brownkit asked, his voice muffled by fish.

"What? Oh, nothing," Robinkit mewed. "Anyway, there are a lot of cats here, and what surprised me the most, was that cats from the Clans-of-Long-Ago are here, too!" the two kits walked up to a large white tom, and Robinkit bumped into Brownkit, making him drop the fish.

"Oh, thank you Robinkit!" Whitestorm purred, and Robinkit rubbed up against the large white tom. "Who's this?" he asked.

"That's Brownkit," Robinkit explained. Whitestorm nodded, and then moved off, fish in jaws to his mate, Willowpelt.

"That's Whitestorm. He was from ThunderClan, which is like your Clan. He acts like my dad, because Kestrelfur is still not in StarClan. She –" Robinkit paused to point at a silvery gray she-cat, "is Silverstream. She acts like my mom, since she can't see her real kits that much."

Brownkit nodded, and stared at all the new sights, and the large amounts of cats. There were so many! "Why don't you show Brownkit some of the other kits?" Silverstream asked. "He probably wants to play with them. Also, they could keep him busy, when you…"

Robinkit quickly nudged Brownkit towards the sounds of many playing cats, and took off running. Brownkit, startled, followed after. Once he reached the source of the noise, he met many kits, all staring with rapt expressions at him.

"Hi, Brownkit," a shy she-cat mewed, "I'm Mosskit from ThunderClan."

"I'm Weedkit from SwiftClan," a dark brown tabby tom growled.

"I'm Larchkit, and this is Hollykit and Snowkit. We're also from ThunderClan."

A light brown tom swaggered up to him. His solemn expression turned into a friendly grin. "Last but not least, I guess. I'm Sandkit from ShadowClan, and this is Birdkit from RiverClan, and Smokekit from WaterClan. We consider each other family."

Brownkit nodded, going over the long list of names in his head. "What are you playing?" he asked, eyeing the small tuft of moss by Snowkit's paws.

"Catch the moss!" the white tom squealed, batting it over Hollykit's head at Smokekit, who threw it far away. The group of kits thundered away, Brownkit included, but Robinkit remained behind.

She sighed loudly, watching the other kits play. A light ginger tabby, medicine cat before Brindlefur, padded up to her and sat down.

"I like it here, Bramblefern," Robinkit sighed.

"I know, young Robinkit," Bramblefern comforted. "Would you like to help me deliver a small prophecy to your sister? Maybe that will cheer you up."

Robinkit's sandy yellow ears perked, making Bramblefern's light gray eyes light up as she smiled. A large, crescent moon shaped scar over her eye was shoved into perception when she did that. "What is it?" Robinkit asked, kneading the ground in anticipation.

"From leader and a warrior from another Clan come those who can save the Clans from a blood spilling battle."

**WaterClan – **Sparrowstar stood upon Rockhill impatiently, watching his Clan. Slowly, his impatientness ebbed, as footsteps announced the arrival of Orangespots, the source of his impatience.

"You're here," he purred lovingly. "I was just about to send a patrol after you."

Orangespots sat next to him, slightly out of breath, but excited nonetheless. "What was so important for you to run off and find Brindlefur for?" Sparrowstar asked.

"Oh, nothing much…"

"And?" Sparrowstar prompted.

"And? And she told me I was having your kits!" Orangespots mewed happily. "A big litter, too."

The brown leader's jaw dropped. "Kits? _My_ kits? Already? Oh, Orangespots, that is so wonderful! Do you have any names picked out?"

She twined her tail with his. "Just a few, such as a she-cat will be named Starlingkit. I was almost named that when I was found, Featherfur said."

"I love it. They'll be perfect, and WaterClan will be lucky to have them," Sparrowstar purred. Orangespots licked his muzzle, and then proceeded down Rockhill. She joined Thundercloud in front of the nursery, and watched Bubblekit and Riverkit play.

Sparrowstar's heart swelled with pride. His kin was going to populate WaterClan, hopefully to bring it forth from the harsh days of now.

**2 moons later…**

**FlameClan – Tanglepaw is now Tangleface. Bramblepaw is now Bramblecloud. Darkpaw is Darkfur. Fawnpaw is Fawnfoot. Sootpaw is now Sootspots. Darkkit is Darkpaw, and his mentor is Shadowmist. Firekit is now Firepaw and his mentor is Hollowclaw. Swifthunt had three kits: Flamekit, Silverkit, and Mottledkit. Clumsyfoot is pregnant with Darkclaw's kits, and Brindlefoot is now dead.**

**SwiftClan – Pricklepaw is Pricklewhisker. Graypaw is Graytail. Finchkit is Finchpaw, whose mentor is Whiteheart. Branchkit is Branchpaw and his mentor is Wolfstar. Cinderkit is now Cinderpaw and her mentor is Wetpelt. Seedkit is Seedpaw and her mentor is Whitefrost. Mistwhisker had two kits: Snowkit and Stormkit. Sheepfoot had Frostkit with Thorngrove. Angelwing in pregnant with Boulderpelt's kits. Lightningstrike is now dead. **

**WaterClan – Tigerpaw is Tigerstripe. Riverpaw is Riverfall. Wildpaw is Wildmask. Bramblepaw is Brambleface. Jumpkit is Jumppaw and his mentor is Hollowpool. Fawnkit is now Fawnpaw and her mentor is Eagleswoop. Emeraldkit is Emeraldpaw and his mentor is Cliffpelt. Sandkit is Sandpaw and Sparrowstar took the apprentice as his own. Orangespots is pregnant with Sparrowstar's kits. **

**MoonClan – Daypaw is Dayshadow. Littlekit is Littlepaw and her mentor is Shinefall. Darkkit is now Darkpaw and his mentor is Brambleslash. Shadowpelt had two kits, Dustkit, and Leafkit. Gingertail is pregnant with Shinefall's kits. Shimmerstrike is pregnant with Eclipsedheart's kits. Shadestalker is off apprentice duties. Yelloweye and Stormheart are dead. **

**WaterClan – **The crescent moon shone brightly upon the river, which threw reflections playfully back up. Brindlefur stared at the game played between the two, lost in her own thoughts. Panting began inside the nursery, and Brindlefur spun around, knowing that Orangespots had begun kitting.

"Silentflower!" she hissed as she dashed to the nursery, "Poppy seeds! Borage! Sparrowstar!" The light gray she-cat nodded, quickly disappearing beneath the Rockhill. Silentflower was used to her mentor's quick orders, and acted swiftly.

The milky scent of queens flooded Silentflower and Sparrowstar's scent glands as they entered the nursery. Thundercloud sat her tail draped across her kits, restraining the two curious and excited beings.

The white she-cat lay in the center of the den, flanks heaving. "Good, good," Brindlefur soothed. "They should be coming soon." Orangespots punctuated Brindlefur's calm words with a pained yowl. A kit appeared, and was soon thrust at Sparrowstar to lick.

He licked his kit's fur the wrong way, getting the pretty tortoiseshell and white kit breathing. Once she had begun to he pushed her against Orangespots, and grabbed another, this one a light brown she-cat.

"This is the last one," Brindlefur mewed after what seemed like ages. She took the kit herself, and began licking it. Soon, all five kits were nestled comfortable against their mother's belly, suckling contentedly.

"So… beautiful." Orangespots mewed, looking weakly on at her new family.

"Our kits are perfect," Sparrowstar agreed, staring and getting lost in her purple eyes.

"The names I chose are Timberkit for the light brown tom with the lighter underbelly. The brown she-cat with darker brown stripes will be Starlingkit."

Bubblekit, still restrained in the corner, mewed excitedly, "Cant the white tom with brown stripes be Fogkit?"

"Certainly," Orangespots mewed. "Brindlefur, will you name a kit? You can never have ones of your own. Sparrowstar, you must also name one, it is only right for a tom to name a kit."

Brindlefur ducked her head. "The tortoiseshell and white she-cat will be named Specklekit."

The leader looked hard at the sandy tabby amongst her brothers and sisters.

Seeing that fur, he was reminded of snowy days inside the nursery, curled up against his sisters. Finally playing outside when they were old enough. Those happy times ended when the harsh leaf-bare took her up to StarClan.

All those happy times made Sparrowstar whisper, "Robinkit," then he repeated it loud enough to be heard.

"Such a beautiful name," Orangespots mewed, looking down upon her kits, but Brindlefur only nodded. She knew the kit reminded him of their sister, and understood Orangespots indifference to the name. For Orangespots was found as a tiny kit, shortly after Sparrowstar's apprenticeship. The white queen didn't feel the racking grief emanating from both Kestrelfur and Frostwhisker when their daughter died.

A black head poked its way into the already crowded nursery. "Are the kits well?" she asked, and continued without waiting. "Featherfur says that her paws are beginning to crack, Brindlefur, but she also says she can wait until the kits are fully born."

Both Brindlefur and Sparrowstar stood up. "The kits are fine. Perfect, actually." Brindlefur mewed; leaving the den after Hollowpool's head disappeared.

Sparrowstar softly licked Orangespots' head, then each of the kits in turn. "I'll be back later," he promised before following behind his sister.

He hadn't been out for two seconds, before Owlleave came charging into camp, sides heaving and claws unsheathed. A low his escaped Sparrowstar when he saw the frantic and angry condition of his fellow Clan mate.

"SwiftClan is hunting on our territory!" Owlleave spat. "They still are, to tell you the StarClan honest truth, but my patrol of Frostclaw, Rainstrike, Eagleswoop and Fawnpaw has surrounded them."

"This ends now," Sparrowstar hissed. "Hollowpool, Poppyheart, Kestrelfur, Sandpaw, and Jumppaw. Come, together we will drive them off our territory for good."

The cats formed a loose attacking formation, and headed out. In the nursery, Starlingkit wailed at her mother's belly. "He'll be back," Orangespots whispered soothingly to her kits, and more importantly, to herself.

**MoonClan – **Dayshadow awoke from her nest of marsh moss, yawning loudly. No other cat remained in the warrior's den then Windtail, who also had a nest on the edge.

Padding out slowly, Dayshadow blinked as the strong sunlight hit her eyes. Once she regained the ability to see, there wasn't much to greet her. Shadowpelt played with her kits, as Yelloweye was no longer able. Clawpaw talked anxiously to his mother in hushed tones, and hisses were let out frequently.

Raising her head even higher into the sun, Dayshadow saw her leader's lithe gray form, green eyes scanning the lack of activity. The new warrior suppressed a shudder. Something had always seemed... off about Ashstar. Ever since Stormheart's and Yelloweye's deaths, both which she took uncaringly.

"Want to go hunting?" Pinewhisker asked, his unusually long whiskers twitching in amusement as Dayshadow jumped. "I just got off a patrol with Shadestalker, Brambleslash, and Darkpaw, but I think I have time."

Dayshadow cuffed his ears playfully. "Only if _I_ lead the way!" she mewed, nudging Pinewhisker towards the camp entrance eagerly. The two barreled out of it, almost knocking over Flowerpaw, who carried a lizard as she entered camp.

"Stupid warriors," she muttered. "Yellowpaw and I should have been warriors with them." Slowly she picked up the lizard, and dropped it onto the scarce fresh-kill pile. Flowerpaw sighed; someone would have to go hunting soon.

Clawpaw came up to her, apparently done with his mother. "Want to go hunting with me? The fresh-kill pile needs prey, and we can prove warriors don't have _all_ the fun!" Flowerpaw jumped up excitedly, tail waving madly, and let Clawpaw lead her to the entrance.

Anticipating her question, Clawpaw mewed quickly, "To the Swift River that comes from WaterClan to FlameClan. It has the best water snakes, and it's a challenge to get them before they slither into their holes. Or worse, you fall in!" Flowerpaw nodded, indigo eyes twinkling with happiness. Suddenly, Clawpaw turned and landed on Flowerpaw. Pushing against him with her strong hind legs, he flew away, and she crouched in the playing position. Clawpaw growled playfully, and leaped again, both tumbling farther and farther away from the MoonClan camp.

The roar of Swift River was loud, but neither apprentice heard, as they were too busy playing. They shot apart, each heaving in every breath. Flowerpaw aimed to jump at Clawpaw, but slipped on the wet rocks near the river. As she fell, her paw twisted at an odd angle, and the waters eagerly swallowed the white she-cat. Clawpaw's screech could be heard by the camps close to the river, both MoonClan and SwiftClan.

"What was that?" Yellowpaw asked, ears perked at the sound.

"Nothing..." Littlepaw muttered, snuggling deeper into her nest. Yellowpaw kept poking Littlepaw until the she-cat finally got up, yawning loudly, and muttering under her breath. They exited the camp, and dashed towards where the screech came from. What greeted them there made Yellowpaw's hackles rise in horror.

Flowerpaw, her sister, was being dragged along the middle of the Swift River, her white head struggling to stay above the churning waters. Clawpaw dashed frantically alongside her, screeching to the fast moving form. Another cat stood on the opposite bank, watching with horror filled eyes. She was pure white, and crossed the borer to see the reason of all the anxious caterwauling.

"Get Flowerpaw before she hits the Crossing Rocks, or she'll die!" Littlepaw yowled over the river's mighty roar. Nodding, Yellowpaw darted forward, and leapt onto a rock. It shook madly, almost throwing Yellowpaw into the greedy waters. She took her footing on a steadier rock, and waited, jaws open, to catch her sister's scruff.

Frantic yowling came from behind Yellowpaw, and Littlepaw's voice, but she was too concentrated to know who the familiar cat was.

Flowerpaw hit against the unsteady rock Yellowpaw had previously jumped off of. With a sickening THUD, the rock fell into the river, but Flowerpaw was kept carried on. Her white body fell limp into the strong currents, and a dark red trail flowed in front of the apprentice.

Seconds later, Yellowpaw grabbed Flowerpaw's scruff in her sharp teeth carefully. The weight of her sister almost dragged Yellowpaw into the river with Flowerpaw. Yellowpaw struggled with Flowerpaw, and sighed with relief when the she-cat from the other Clan came to help get her sister out of the river.

Together they dragged Flowerpaw to the bank. Once there, the white other Clan she-cat began to lick the apprentice's head wound feverently.

"What are you doing, Flowerstem?" Flamestorm growled, and Yellowpaw faintly recognized her as the frantically yowling cat.

"Taking care of my kit!" Flowerstem retorted, and continued licking. The wound wouldn't stop bleeding, and the blood painted the ground as vibrantly as a sunset. Flowerstem began licking even quicker, but the large wound kept bleeding.

Clawpaw stopped midway through rubbing against Yellowpaw in thanks. "_Your_ kit?" he asked, completely shocked.

"You're the mother of Cloudfall's kits!" Flamestorm gasped. "I had just become a warrior when he came with two kits named Yellowkit and Flowerkit. He explained how he found them in the forest, but Flowerkit had his eyes, and both had his pelt!"

Flowerstem dipped her head in shame. "I had to give them away," she explained. "My mother, Snowfall, she accused me of mating with the medicine cat when I was pregnant. I got rid of them to show I hadn't any kits. Cloudfall felt sad about taking our kits away from him, so he named one Flowerkit, after me."

Yellowpaw blinked at the white she-cat. "Mother?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes, young one," Flowerstem mewed hurriedly. "You, dark apprentice, get me some cobwebs!" Clawpaw nodded, and then hurried off. Yellowpaw sat next to her sister and watched as the bright indigo eyes faded, then glazed.

"No..." Yellowpaw whispered, burying her nose within her sister's thick white fur. Flamestorm and Flowerstem followed suit. Coming back late with cobwebs, Clawpaw saw the scene in front of him. He dropped the large amounts of cobwebs quickly, and let out a wail.

Flamestorm stood. "We must take her to camp. She will have a proper burial there," she mewed, voice shaking.

"But which one?" Yellowpaw asked skeptically, voice muffled, for she hadn't taken her nose out of her sister's fur.

A strange glint came and stood out prominently in Flamestorm's eyes. "SwiftClan. Let her rest in peace with her mother's Clan. For, all cats are together in StarClan, no matter what Clan they originated from." The other cats stood, and slowly they carried the body to the camp on the moor.

"What is this?" hissed Addertail. "What are you doing with all of these other Clan cats, Flowerstem?" The group laid Flowerpaw in the center of the camp, plain for all cats to see.

"My kit," Flowerstem began," Yes, Tigerflash, my kit. She has died. Her sister tried saving her, but came too late to save her from StarClan. MoonClan wishes to give the body to us, for it is my Clan, her mother's Clan."

Wolfstar, who had been watching silently, spoke up. "We will bury her with honors. What is your name, apprentice? You are the valiant savior of the dead one; would you like to join our Clan?"

"My name is Yellowpaw, and 'the dead one' has a name. She's Flowerpaw." Yellowpaw growled, clearly avoiding the subject of the Clan."

"Very well. Come here." Yellowpaw listened to Wolfstar, inching closer to the large white she-cat.

"I, Wolfstar, leader of SwiftClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." Wolfstar began; totally unaware that Flamestorm escaped the crowded clearing. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Yellowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Yellowpaw mewed, feeling that nothing was right at this point in her life.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name, Yellowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Yellowflower, in honor of your sister and mother. StarClan honors your courage and your willingness to risk your own life for another cat. We welcome you as a full warrior of SwiftClan."

Yellowflower licked Wolfstar's coarse white fur, wishing she was licking dark gray, instead.

"Yellowflower! Yellowflower!" Some members of SwiftClan chanted, the others clearly confused.

"What do you think gives you the reason to do that?" Ashstar hissed from the entrance, a smirking Flamestorm beside her.

Wolfstar spun around. "She was born in SwiftClan. That gives me all the reason I need!" she spat.

"But bred in MoonClan," Ashstar retorted.

Yellowflower's head snapped back and forth as she watched the two leaders bicker about her. Finally, giving up on the two, she stared long at her sister. The wind seemed to whisper "Go," faintly in her ears.

"Stop!" Yellowflower screeched. "None of you can have me!" She dashed out of the camp, heading for anywhere. The only thing she regretted was leaving Flowerpaw in that horrible camp.

"No," Yellowflower panted as she darted in and out of trees expertly. "You'll forever be Flowerheart to me." Yellowflower told her sister, who was now on the journey to StarClan.

**SwiftClan – **"Boulderpelt!" Jaygaze hissed at the dark gray tom. "Quickly grab those mice, before the fat water rats come!"

Boulderpelt picked up the mice, and they dangled by their tails when a menacing hiss came from a bed of reeds.

"What did you say?" Rainstrike hissed as he stood up, his and Sparrowstar's patrol behind him.

Boulderpelt hurriedly dropped the mice, and tried to conceal them beneath his paw. "Jaygaze said you were fat water rats!" Fogpaw growled.

Fawnpaw hissed in anger. "How can you say that, you weak, timid rabbit!" Suddenly, the fury in her eyes changed. "Stonekit?" she whispered disbelievingly.

"Stonekit?" Fogpaw scoffed. "No, I am Fogpaw, son of Silverpool. I'm not a part of your mouse-brained Clan, and proud of it! Your Clan stole my mother's life!"

Shaking her head, Fawnpaw mewed sadly. "Come back, Stonekit. Jadeheart misses you. Leave SwiftClan behind, they aren't your real Clan, and Silverpool was a young warrior from long ago, Jadeheart told me. She fell into the Swift River and died."

"Are you accusing us of kit-napping?" Thorngrove demanded.

"Yes, now that I look at it, he _is_ Stonekit!" Sparrowstar meowed. Boulderpelt opened his mouth, then paused apparently thinking. Slowly his mouth closed, and then the dark gray tom jumped at Sparrowstar.

The leader yowled, and ducked under the attack, raking his claws on Boulderpelt's belly as he soared overhead. A quick glance upward revealed a mass of fighting cats, although WaterClan seemed to be inning because of their numbers.

Sparrowstar pinned Boulderpelt down, and Poppyheart clawed his ears. They let him go, and watched in satisfaction as he ran, yowling in defeat. Soon out of their sight, however, Boulderpelt stopped running and waited beneath a gorse bush on his own territory. Far in the distance, he could see and hear the battle going on.

"WaterClan isn't my real Clan!" he heard Fogpaw screech. The gray apprentice clawed Fawnpaw, and she ran away. Fogpaw stood victorious for a bit, but then Frostclaw and Hollowpool double-teamed him, and he was force back.

Boulderpelt watched as SwiftClan cats from the patrol ran past, but he was intent on his mission, even if it meant certain death. He got up when the fighting ceased and the WaterClan cats stood, taking in the victorious vibe. Slowly, unseen, he stalked towards the border. Once he reached it, he took a deep breath, and gathered his muscles, waiting for the opportune moment. It came, and with a mighty battle yowl, he leapt at the brown leader.

Sparrowstar was still in shock at the unexpected attack, and only started struggling with all the power of TigerClan once he was pinned. "I will kill you with my own claws!" Boulderpelt snarled, "And it will be for the good of SwiftClan!" At the end of his speech, Boulderpelt dragged his own claws down the soft brown flesh.

Sparrowstar's eyes glazed and Boulderpelt was dragged doff by Frostclaw, soon to disappear under a mass of multi-colored pelts. Soon, however, the leader came back, after losing a life. He shook his pelt reassuringly for himself. Sparrowstar then looked at the mangled and bloody form of Boulderpelt, who was no longer recognizable.

"Come," Sparrowstar rasped. "We can go back to camp. Orangespots will be grateful to all of StarClan for letting me return." Slowly the WaterClan cats moved off, bringing with them the mice, but leaving the bloodied mass that was once Boulderpelt.

Far off, the SwiftClan cats watched their enemies depart with hate-filled eyes. Jaygaze broke away from his glaring, and looked around the empty moor. "Where's Boulderpelt?" he asked.

"Oh no..." Thorngrove whispered. His amber eyes grew wide in fright as he stared around.

"What?" Fogpaw asked, getting frightened himself. His hackles started to rise as Thorngrove mewed mourningly.

"Boulderpelt told me that he wanted to kill Sparrowstar, before. If he did that now, then he would be... he would be..." Thorngrove never finished, but sprinted, using his SwiftClan speed, towards and over the border. Jaygaze, once seeing his friend, leapt over the border, too, and buried his nose in his pelt. He dragged the limp body over, and together, all the cats pulled him over to the SwiftClan camp.

"What is this, now?" Wolfstar asked, appalled at the new sight.

"We hunted on WaterClan territory, and they drove us off. However, Boulderpelt went back to kill Sparrowstar, but instead, he himself was killed." Thorngrove mewed sadly.

Wolfstar sighed. "Put him next to Flowerpaw."

"Who?" Fogpaw inquired.

"Don't ask," Wolfstar told him. "Today was a bleak day for SwiftClan. We have lost two wonderful cats." Jaygaze put his loyal friend next to Flowerpaw, who smelled like MoonClan. Slowly but surely the Clans were falling apart, and he, along with all the rest of the innocent, were stuck in the middle.

**FlameClan – **Darkpaw was training with Icetail when he heard a cat crash through the undergrowth. The sound of it made Darkpaw think that the cat was unaccustomed to living in a forest.

"This is a bit short noticed, Icetail mewed, "but I want to see how you do against another cat. I will be watching." With that, Icetail disappeared, leaving Darkpaw to stalk towards the cat. He smelled both MoonClan and SwiftClan on the pure white she-cat as she stumbled through the forest, apparently distressed. From both of the scents, he couldn't decipher which on she was from, so he waited for her to come to him before confronting her.

Quickly thinking, Darkpaw leapt at her, forcing her back against a large oak tree. "Get off FlameClan territory!" he hissed menacingly.

She looked at the dark apprentice with bright yellow eyes. "My new name is Yellowflower, and I wish to speak with Birchstar. That is why I am here."

Dumbfounded, Darkpaw nodded, and lead her through the densely forested territory. Once they reached the camp, many cats hissed when the saw the other Clan cat.

"Who do you have with you, Darkpaw?" Birchstar asked, jumping down from Skymound where she had been sharing tongues with her mate, Bristleclaw.

"My name is Yellowflower, and I wish to speak with you, Birchstar, privately," Yellowflower mewed boldly, although her heart was racing underneath her strong outer-shell.

Birchstar shook her head sincerely. "Anything you wish to tell me can be told in front of all my cats," she mewed.

"Fine," Yellowflower sighed. "I wish to join FlameClan as a warrior. The other Clans do not deserve me after what they had done, but I wish to become a loyal warrior to a Clan that I have nothing against."

Laughing, Birchstar sat, curling her tail around her paws. "You smell of both MoonClan and SwiftClan. Why?" she asked.

Yellowflower squared her shoulders. "I lived in MoonClan with my sister, Yellowpaw, and my father, Cloudfall, both who are dead now. I found out that my mother was Flowerstem, form SwiftClan, and I became Yellowflower, after Flowerpaw, in her Clan. Wolfstar and Ashstar started arguing over me, and I ran away, the wind in my ears. They treated me wrongly, so in the process, they lost all of my loyalty."

Birchstar took this entire thing in. "You seem willing to join and loyal. You will train in the ways of a FlameClan warrior, and if you prove yourself worthy, you will be fully accepted into our Clan. If not, you will be exiled, never to be seen again. Do you accept my offer?"

"Yes, Birchstar," Yellowflower meowed. "Although I can assure you that I will not betray my new Clan or you. This is where my loyalty fully lies."

Birchstar nodded. "Your mentor will be Shadowmist." Yellowflower dipped her head, and then moved off to the shade of a boulder at the edge of camp. Many cats still starred, but Yellowflower blocked the inquisitive eyes out.

She thought as she rested. Now three Clans held significance in her life. Her mother's Clan, and the Clan she got her name in; the Clan she was raised in; and her true Clan.

'No matter what,' Yellowflower thought, 'FlameClan will always be my first priority.'

**A/N: I swear, not to many killings after this… or will there be? Read and Review! You'd think for all the people who sent cats in, there'd be more reviewers *sigh*. Anywho R&R!**


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